Silent Witness
by j3nnee
Summary: Neal gets involved with a case from Peter's past. Whumpage for both. Violence. Possibly a T. Spoilers for both seasons possibly.
1. Chapter 1

**(Chapter 1)**

Neal glanced down at the now buzzing phone in his hand. He had a new text, the young man pushing a button on the cell so he could read it.

_**Peter: Neal. Come by the house. Need to talk.**_

Neal stared at the message wondering what Peter would need to chat with him about on a Saturday. He dialed a number, pushing the phone up to his ear.

"_This is Peter Burke. Leave a Message."_

Neal sighed, pushing the phone back into his pocket as he walked up to the curb and held his hand up for a cab.

**()()()**

Neal arrived at the Burkes' home a few minutes later, walking up the few steps, hand up to knock when he paused. He looked down and saw the knob of the door knob hanging just enough off to say someone had pried the door open. He cringed at the thought that something may have happened to his friends, pushing the door open quietly with his foot as he peered inside the quiet home.

The consultant looked around the empty house as he took a quick glance, closing the door behind him. Nothing was out of place but it was too quiet. Maybe they weren't here (he hoped) but someone had broken in regardless. Neal walked through the main floor then into the kitchen and basement but nothing. He heard a soft creak from upstairs and made his way back towards the stairs.

Neal reached the top of the stairs having made little noise. He knew the Burkes' home well enough that only one stair would have given him away and he avoided it deftly. He peered into the guest room and found nothing, the bathroom looked empty but Peter and Elizabeth's bedroom door was slightly ajar. He hoped he wasn't breaking in on anything but considering the front door, he was certain this was just a burglary or possibly something else. He probably should have called for backup but till he knew what was going on, he was going to deal with it on his own.

He opened the door quietly and found the bedroom empty. Neal glanced around with a sigh thinking whoever had been here must be gone but why break in and then not take anything? What was the purpose? He made sure the room was clear as he turned and started out. He had barely made it out to the hall when someone clocked him across the back of the skull. Neal fell to the floor with a loud thud, his vision blurring in and out of focus as he lay there stunned.

"Stupid Con... fell right into the trap. You should have checked the closet. Guess you're not as smart as your keeper thinks." The voice wasn't familiar as he felt rough hands pull him up and drag him towards the bathroom. He was leaned against the tub, shower curtain pulled aside noisily. The masked man pulled out a roll of duct tape, taping Neal's arms behind him tightly, then working on his legs and ankles. Once that was done, the man placed him in the tub, head under the faucet. His vision blurred in and out as he moved ever so slightly but was still too stunned to react. The man was smiling.

"Open wide..." The man forced his mouth open and stuffed some of El's clean washcloths into it before pulling a large piece of duct tape over Neal's lips. The con was waking up a bit more now, struggling despite the blow to his head but the man wasn't done with him. He saw a syringe in the man's hands, eyes widening as he looked up at it, head pushed aside. The needle was pushed into his neck, Neal giving a muffled groan as he felt the drug injected into his system. Almost immediately he felt his body start to relax, his heart and breathing slow. He swallowed but that was about the extent of his movement as he realized his whole body was paralyzed but he was still awake. The man smiled down at him, hand on the faucet handle above his face.

"This drug will keep you awake and able to feel but unable to move. I wonder if your friend will come back before you drown although at this point it won't take much to drown you if you can't move." The man chuckled, turning the faucet on to a fast trickle. The cold water hit Neal's face and was dripping into his nose but he couldn't move or struggle with the drug holding him captive in his own body.

_No! Please... let me go!_

Neal was screaming in his head but it was hard to think as he felt the water trickling into his nostrils, his only means of air. He swallowed weakly but there was nothing else he could do as the man left him, closing the shower curtain as he heard footsteps fade into the background.

**()()()**

"I'll be fine, El. Yes... Yes... Of course. If you want me to. Sure... See you in about two days? Love you." Peter was smiling as he walked up the steps to his house, keys in hand. He wasn't paying attention as he pushed the phone back into his pocket with a sigh. He missed his wife but she was out of town visiting her sister for a few days. She had taken Satchmo with her so he was alone, the agent sighing as he started to push the key at the door and blinked.

Peter finally noticed the damage to his door, the knob hanging loosely as he gently pushed the door open with his foot. He didn't have his gun since it was a day off. He would have to go upstairs to get it if he wanted it but who knows if the person responsible for breaking in was still there. He peered inside and glanced around the interior of his quiet home. Nothing looked out of place. He wondered if the neighbors had heard anything but when he turned he could see their car wasn't parked in the usual spot. Peter pulled his cell out again and dialed a number.

"Jones..."

Peter was glad the agent had picked up as he spoke quietly. So far the main floor was clear and the backdoor hadn't been messed with.

"Jones... It's Burke. I need you to come over. Someone broke in. I'm about to call the cops." Peter heard the agent give a sharp intake of breath on the other end.

"Someone broke in? Was Elizabeth home?" Jones sounded concerned as Peter shook his head at the phone and started upstairs.

"No... she's out visiting her sister for a few days with Satchmo. I'm here alone but the door was broken when I got home. I'm about to head upstairs but come quickly. I'm going to call the cops." Peter was worried if not angry as he wondered who would have broken in and why. The music box incident was mostly behind them while they figured out some other aspects of the case. He couldn't think why anyone would come in and not steal anything unless it had to do with a case. He was thinking El's visit to her sister's couldn't have come at a better time.

"Ok boss. Be right there. Be careful!"

Peter nodded as he hung up and started to call the cops. He had barely dialed when he heard the sound. He pushed the phone back into his pocket and headed for the bathroom, the sound of water obvious. He went into the bedroom first and grabbed up his gun from the drawer before going back to the bathroom. Peter quietly walked over to the door and pushed it open, gun at the ready.

The bathroom was empty but the curtain was partially open, the sound of water still evident. Peter held his gun ahead of him as he pulled the curtain aside and gasped. He immediately place the gun on the edge of the tub and pulled the pale figure within out of the shallow water.

"Neal? Oh God... Neal wake up!" He was shaking the pale figure, pulling the tape from the consultant's mouth and removing the water soaked rags. More water poured from grayish blue lips, dull blue eyes staring blankly at him.

"Neal! Neal wake up!" He pulled the man from the tub and lay him on the bathroom floor, cutting his bonds loose and starting CPR when he didn't feel a pulse. The young man felt cool to the touch.

"Don't do this, Neal. Breath..." He was gently pushing on his chest to start the young man's heart again before clearing water from his mouth and breathing for him. It took a few minutes before he got a pulse and then another before he could sense breath, water pouring from Neal's lips in a sluggish manner. Peter hugged the young man to him, Neal's arm hung across his back, hand weakly gripping at his shirt. Peter felt the fingers grasping and ungrasping in a rhythmic pattern he finally recognized as code.

_D R U G G E D_

_C A N T M O V E_

Peter pushed the younger man away gently, leaning him against the wall as he gazed into those blank, blue eyes. The hand had let go, now hanging limply at the younger man's side.

"Who did this, Neal? Tell me?" Peter pulled Neal's hand back to his hoping for another coded answer. He felt a weak squeeze then a tighter one as those blue eyes widened ever so much.

"Neal? Neal what's wrong?" Peter was gently shaking his friend when he felt a gun on the back of his neck.

"You should have left him to die, Fed. He'll be the death of you." The voice was cold but not unfamiliar.

"Saunders. I thought you had a life sentence, last I heard." Peter said it with a mild bit of sarcasm but winced as the gun was pressed harder against his neck, the sound of it being cocked.

"Always relaxed and calm. I remember you trying to talk me down although it didn't help your colleague at the time. I hear he had a wife and kid. Too bad for them." The man's voice was mocking, smug if anything making Peter want to turn and beat the man. His only consolation was that Jones would be here soon. He wished now he had finished calling the cops.

"No words? Hmmm... well your partner here is stuck watching you die. He can't move or help. Isn't that right?" He just pressed the gun harder against Peter's skull as he spoke, the agent uncertain what was going to happen.

"Carry him... we're going to the basement. We need some privacy for this event." Saunders' kept the gun on Peter, taking his gun from the tub edge and pocketing it as Peter picked up Neal and carried him as much as he could down the stairs, across the den and into the kitchen. He managed to open up the basement door and carefully carried the paralyzed consultant at gun point down stairs to the basement floor and lay him down, kneeling beside him.

"Perfect! Stay in that position, Agent Burke. He can see you die and it's like some kind of strange holiday tableau. The holy agent tending to the not so holy ex-con and consultant. Such a touching scene." Saunders' voice was grating on him now, the smug tone annoying but Peter had to hold back enough in hopes the man would delay killing either one of them.

"Talk to me, Dammit!" Saunder's voice was frantic suddenly as Peter turned his head to look at the man. The criminal was a tall wiry man wearing a dark turtle neck, ratty jeans and a black ski mask. He was waving the gun dangerously, a hint of reddish hair under the mask a fiery red from what he could remember. Peter swallowed hard, standing up as he turned and stared into wild green eyes. The man was insane but that gave him now right to do what he he was doing.

"I'll talk. I'll tell you that if you kill me they're going to put you away for so long you will never see the light of day ever again. That is what you have to look forward to, Saunders." Peter knew he was just adding fuel to the fire but he was a dead man regardless knowing Saunders' M.O. and if he could distract him from Neal, that would be something. He just wished he had been able to see Elizabeth one last time.

"You stupid smug bastard!" Saunders' voice was acid as he held up the gun and pointed it right at Peter. The man pulled the trigger back...

**()()()**

Neal had tried to warn Peter about the figure standing behind him but he could hardly move as it was with only the limited movement in his hand. He squeezed as hard as he could to make the agent understand but Peter had thought he was hurting and didn't turn. Now the agent was held at gunpoint and both were prisoners of a madman.

Saunders, their captor, was familiar with Peter from a past case, making the agent carry him downstairs to the basement where he did what he could to push the agent's buttons. Neal saw the look on his friend's face, Peter trying not to react but finally rising and turning to face the man his brown eyes fiery with anger.

Neal heard the exchange and knew from the look on Saunders' face he was going to kill Peter. Neal had to do something but what could he do when he couldn't move but a few fingers. The consultant felt his fingers move as he tried to grasp the cuff of his friend's pant leg. He just had to pull...

There was a soft pop as Neal pulled hard on his friend's leg feeling Peter turn aside. The agent had moved some but it hadn't been enough as he saw the bullet hit Peter on the side of the head and ricochet off, blood splattering as he spun around in response only to collapse limply beside Neal. The agent didn't move, his eyes closed as he lay on the floor of the basement, a pool of blood forming around him as it dripped from the wound in his head. Neal made a strangling noise as he tried to speak but couldn't, his one hand weakly grasping at his friend.

_Peter? Peter wake up! Peter!_

He was yelling in his head unable to speak, only a weird gurgling sound escaping his lips. Someone stood over him, the gun pointed at his skull suddenly as Saunders looked down at Neal.

"You couldn't save him and he couldn't save you." The man started to laugh, a cold dark laugh as he pulled the trigger back. He had barely cocked the gun when Neal noticed the dark stain forming on the man's chest. Had there been a gun shot? He was in shock still from seeing Peter shot and the man's threat. Saunders' smug face relaxed and he fell across the consultant heavily.

"Caffrey? Burke?"

Neal moved his eyes after a moment and saw a blurry figure moving towards him. They were holding something shiny and dark in their hands. Their voice seemed to be fading as consciousness began to leave the young man.

"Neal? Hey... Neal... Oh my God... Peter? Peter?"

Jones' voice faded into the darkness as Neal passed out.

**oOoOoOo**

**Author's Note:** _Finally able to post a new story. I should finish it but more slowly now that I'm doing NaNoWriMo. I reached over 12k in words as of Sunday, Nov 7th. Happy Happy... Joy Joy! :D I also went to a NaNoWriMo "I survived the first week" get together. But back to Fan Fics for now while I work on my story. Enjoy and hopefully I can write the next chapter soon. I won't leave you hanging._


	2. Chapter 2

**(Chapter 2)**

_Neal was dreaming. He couldn't breath, his voice nothing more than a strangled gurgling sound as he fought to draw air into his lungs. He lay helpless beneath the water, sinking deeper into the blue, Saunders' face above him, distorted by the water._

"_**If he dies, it's your fault.**"_

_Saunders' voice echoed in his mind as the dream continued._

"_**He's better off with out a con like you. You're the reason he's dead.**"_

_Neal could no longer stay conscious, his mind drifting as the watery image of Saunders faded into darkness._

He woke up suddenly. Eyes glancing around the room as he tried to sit up. He couldn't even give a groan of discomfort, his voice apparently gone. He shifted weakly in the bed he found himself in and looked around. Neal was in a hospital, the decor of the room giving the location away. He wondered if Peter was ok, his thoughts going back to the incident. Could he have done anything else under the circumstances?

"Neal?"

He turned his head slowly, his muscles still reacting to the drug Saunders had given him. He could move more but he was still feeling a bit too relaxed and helpless. Elizabeth Burke stood there. He noticed at once the flush of her cheeks, red nose and watery pink eyes. She'd been crying. He hoped it wasn't something bad. Peter couldn't be dead.

Elizabeth walked over quietly, sitting on the chair beside the bed and taking his hand in hers. He squeezed it gently back.

"How are you feeling?" Her voice was soft, her blue eyes peering at him with concern and worry. He could make out light tears still wet on her cheeks. He reached up and wiped one away, her nose sniffling a bit.

"Sorry. I just went to see Peter. He hasn't waken up yet." She sniffled a bit more, grabbing a tissue from the box on the nightstand beside him and blowing her nose a moment before turning back.

"Neal? Are you ok?" She seemed to notice he wasn't speaking, the young man shrugging at her as he pointed at his throat.

"You can't talk? Why not? Should I call the doctor? A nurse?" She sounded worried now as she reached for the nurse call button and pushed it. Neal shrugged uncertain if he should be worrying her any more than necessary. She had Peter to deal with without adding him to the mix. She was hugging him suddenly, brushing back the hair from his face.

"I'm glad someone was with him when this happened. I... I already talked to Jones but he didn't know all the details before he showed. That man is dead. The one who hurt you and Peter." Her manner was somewhat relieved as she said the last part but he sensed more than that. El seemed to be asking what happened but he had the impression she didn't yet feel comfortable asking when he had only waken up. Neal hugged her back, making motions with his hands for a pen and paper. She nodded, grabbing a pad and pen from her purse and handing it to him. Neal started to write quickly before he handed it back to her. He watched her read the sheet.

"Two days. You've been asleep that long." She was going to say more when the door opened and they both turned to see a doctor walk in. He was smiling, his blue scrubs under an open white lab coat. He had a stethoscope around his neck and a small clipboard in his hand.

"Mr. Caffrey, how are you feeling? Mrs. Burke." The doctor smiled at them both as he walked over and patted El gently on the shoulder and then held a hand out to Neal. Neal took it and nodded back with a weak smile.

"He can't talk, Dr. Jenkins." She sounded worried as the doctor ran a hand through his brown hair and shook his head.

"Nothing to worry about. It's one of the unfortunate and temporary side effects of this particular drug. I suspect your assailant had some medical background to get access to this drug. He gave you a pretty heavy dosage but it should wear off in about three to five more days. You're already pretty far along in your recovery for the dosage he gave you. It's normally used in small amounts to keep patients with major trauma still till their wounds can be tended to." The doctor gently grasped Neal's hand in his, his finger on his wrist as he took the con's pulse and then pulled out the stethoscope and checked his heart beat and breathing.

"Everything sounds good so far. Let me check your reflexes next to be sure the drug is effectively leaving your system. It sits in the muscle tissue and has to eek out on its own." The doctor started to poke at him, bumping his knees with a little hammer. He smiled when he was done.

"You're responding well for only two days after the fact. I was told you were able to move a bit after the drug was administered. You may have had a slight immunity to it but your vocal cords should come back in a few days as I said. That's one of the few places that takes time to heal from the effects of the drug. Now... Mrs. Burke. Would you liked to come outside and talk about your husband?" Dr. Jenkins saw El look between him and Neal and shake her head.

"Whatever you have to tell me, you can say in front of Neal. He's my husband's partner. He was there when everything happened." She put her hand into Neal's and held it tight as she waited for the news. The physician seemed to notice and nod. His manner wasn't grim but it had become more serious.

"As you wish. Your husband should be ok but we won't know for sure till he wakes up. He received a pretty good knock on the head by that bullet but it ricocheted off at enough of an angle he only received a minor concussion. There was a slight fracture to the skull we had to do some minor surgery to push the bone back into place but there has been very little tissue damage. We will have to do more tests but he is breathing on his own, his heart beating regularly. We're keeping him under scrutiny since he hasn't waken up on his own yet. Once he does we will have to do more tests to make sure there is no permanent damage. I wish I could tell you more but it's still too early to say." The doctor gently squeezed her shoulder, El nodding with a pale, devastated expression.

"Thank you, Dr. Jenkins. When can we go see him? I'd like Neal to visit with him. It might help to hear another familiar voice." She kept her hand in Neal's as she spoke to the doctor. He nodded.

"You can visit your husband now. As for the visit... I'd wait till tomorrow when we can test the side effects of the drug and make sure Mr. Caffrey here is truly ok. You only just woke up so we need you to rest a bit more so the drug will leave your system. I'll have the nurse bring you something to drink and eat. I'm sure you're hungry." The doctor smiled as Neal nodded in reply.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow. Call me if you need anything and there will always be a nurse available. I'm certain you will be able to see your friend tomorrow. Just be patient." He gave a nod of his head before leaving them alone. Elizabeth stood up, letting go of his hand as she paced the small room. Neal followed her silently with his eyes, her body language full of tension and worry. He tapped on the headboard to get her attention and she turned back towards him.

"I'm sorry, Neal. I... I'm still in shock from all of this. Jones kept the gory details from me but I'm sure it was a lot worse than what he said it was. I only saw him after they cleaned him up and wheeled him into the surgery. I can only imagine what you and Jones saw when it happened. I'm just glad you were there and Jones showed up when he did." She had walked back, sitting beside him again and holding his hand as she wiped at her eyes. They were brimming with tears, his own eyes starting to match hers as he thought back to how pale and still his friend and partner had been. He had to be strong for both of them till he knew Peter was good. He hugged her as much as he could, wishing he could tell her things and cursing the lack of voice that prevented him from doing so.

**()()()**

Several hours passed and Neal was sleeping, the lamp on in the far corner of the room. He was only just aware of its glow when he heard it click off. His eyes fluttered open as he adjusted to the darker room, only a hint of soft light from the window across the room.

_Someone there?_

Neal thought as he glanced around the room but saw nothing to indicate another person. Maybe the bulb burned out or the nurse came in and turned off the light and he only just realized it. He started to settle down again when a hand covered his mouth and he felt his arms bound to his sides, the sound of tape tearing evident. Neal struggled but he was held tightly, his nose pinched making it hard to breath.

"He's not safe. You're... not safe. I will have my revenge!" That voice sounded familiar, green eyes glittering in the darkness. Neal struggled to breath, the hand letting go after a moment with a soft mirthless chuckle.

"I don't need to gag you. I know you can't speak. It will be a few days and by then... well it won't matter, will it?" The voice chuckled coldly yet again.

"Sleep, con. This isn't a dream, it's a nightmare!" The voice said in a menacing tone as something sickly sweet passed before his nose and he passed out.

_Neal?_

_Neal wake up..._

_Neal?_

He struggled to wake up, pulling as if at invisible bonds when someone grasped his hand in theirs.

"Neal, it's ok. Wake up, honey. He must be dreaming." June said as he smelled her familiar perfume and started to open up his eyes. At first it was blurry and then his landlady's face came into focus.

_June? What..._

He looked around at the hospital room and found nothing had changed. He looked down but there was no tape around his wrists anymore, his arms free. Neal felt a kind of confusion, June grasping his hand in hers tighter.

"It's ok, Neal. You're safe." She was patting him on the shoulder gently, Neal glancing around him.

Saunders. He had been here! He had seen and heard the man but... he was dead wasn't he? Neal blinked, his mind still foggy from the chloroform.

"Was it a bad nightmare?" June asked as she sat beside him. He shook his head, unable to do much else. She nodded brushing at his hair gently.

"It's ok. Oh... Peter is doing so much better. He's showing signs of waking up soon. Elizabeth said she'll come to visit later so you can see him. Dr. Jenkins thinks the more people visit, the more likely he'll wake up." She smiled, wiping at her eyes a bit. Peter and Elizabeth had become a part of her life as Neal had, worry evident. He grasped her hand in both of his and smiled up hopefully, wishing he had his voice to say something but content to touch her hand.

"Thank you, Neal. Oh... I brought you some clothes. They say you can leave tomorrow. I also snuck you in some food. It's in the drawer of the nightstand. I hope you like rosemary chicken. Maggie made it for dinner the other night." She smiled, mischief evident.

"El threw some of her chicken salad sandwiches in there too. Just in case."

Neal grinned, rubbing his tummy to indicate his satisfaction. She smiled back.

"Good. Well the bag is in the closet with your clothes. I'll be back tomorrow to pick you up. Ok?" She hugged him gently before standing up, kissing him on the forehead and then leaving with a little wave. Once she was gone, Neal looked down at his hands and wrists. Maybe he had been dreaming? Saunders seemed so real though. He hit the side of the bars on the bed and glanced at the bar curiously.

Tape. He looked closer, sitting up and hunching over the bar as he rubbed it with his finger. Adhesive residue. He looked at his wrist again and saw missing hair but no residue, holding his hand to his face and crinkling his nose. Alcohol. Someone had been here and they had taped him to the bars then cleaned up all but this small bit of missed evidence. It wasn't enough though and he had no voice to speak. Would Jones listen to him? Diana? He wasn't conscious when they took Saunders away but he had seen the blood and the wound.

"Knock Knock..."

Neal looked up to see Jones standing there, the agent smiling ever so slightly as he walked into the room and made his way to the consultant's bed side.

"How are you feeling, Caffrey?" Jones stood there looking a bit uncomfortable. He reminded him of Mozzie a bit at that moment, the same look on his friend's face when he would be in an uncomfortable situation. He shrugged with a soft smile. Jones nodded.

"I understand. Mrs. Burke told me what was going on." He wrung his hands a bit and sat down. He looked a bit nervous as if trying to ask Neal something. Neal poked him in the arm, looking at him with wide questioning eyes. Jones finally nodded.

"Just thinking about what happened. Hughes put me on leave not for the act, it was self-defense obviously..." His voice trailed off before he continued, his face tight with emotion.

"Anyhow, I have to talk to the shrink about what happened. You know the drill. But the bastard is dead. Coroner took him away." He grimaced, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. Jones looked tense, Neal nodding as he made a motion. The agent looked over at him curiously.

"Something wrong Caffrey?" He saw Neal motion towards a pad and pen on the nightstand handing it over. Neal scrawled quickly on the paper, tore the sheet off and handed it over. Jones read it and nodded.

"He was dead. I checked myself. He's not coming back."


	3. Chapter 3

**(Chapter 3)**

Neal pulled on his robe, wrapping it around him as he tied the belt. Elizabeth was smiling at him as she stood off to the side with the nurse. He stood up from the hospital bed with some help, his legs still a bit weak from the drug he'd been given and walked the foot or two to the waiting wheelchair. He made a little bit of a face, looking up at El with those bright blue eyes pleadingly. She shrugged and shook her head.

"The doctor says you have to be in a chair, Neal. I don't have any say in it. Sorry." She patted him on the shoulder to comfort his indignity as he nodded and slumped into the wheelchair as the nurse took position behind it.

"Don't worry Mr. Caffrey. We just want to be sure you're ok. I'll let you walk in the rehab room in a little while if you want. Mrs. Burke can go with you. It's private and you can work on getting your legs back in shape. Ok?" The nurse was smiling at him, winking slightly. He nodded back with a little shake of his head eyes looking at his lap. He was still very tired from the drug or at the very least sluggish. Neal could feel a slight squeeze on his shoulder and looked up to see Elizabeth smiling down at him as they made their way out of the room and down the hallway. He smiled back up at her despite himself. He still felt very guilty for Peter being hurt even if it wasn't his fault.

"He's still unconscious, Neal." Elizabeth's voice was just audible to him as she spoke softly beside him. He looked up to see her eyes shiny with tears. He reached up and took her hand in his, holding it as they continued to walk towards the elevator.

"He's on the third floor." The nurse said briefly as she pushed the up button. Neal nodded but kept his eyes on El who looked like she wanted to cry. He wanted to say something to her but his voice still had not returned. He cursed silently to himself at his lack of speech to comfort her and his weakness. He wanted to help his friends but at the moment he was little more than an obstacle. He perked up when the bell for the elevator dinged and the doors opened. The nurse pushed him in first, excusing herself to a figure inside. Neal looked up at the man standing there, something familiar about him but uncertain what with the surgery mask over his face. The nurse and Elizabeth didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary as they moved to the front of the car and the nurse pushed the button for their floor. The doors shut and Neal leaned back in the seat tiredly, watching El and the nurse who were suddenly deep into conversation about something as he sat there and sulked a little.

"_You can't help him. And you can't help her._"

Neal stiffened at the whispered words and turned to see the green eyes of the masked doctor glaring down at him with cold amusement. There was a ding and the sound of the elevator doors opening.

"Excuse me."

The doctor spoke politely as he exited the car ahead of them on the 2nd floor and vanished around the corner. Neal tried to stand up and follow but the nurse and Elizabeth held him back, the doors closing before he could get far.

"Neal... what's the matter?" Elizabeth looked at him worriedly. Neal started to point and open his mouth then stopped realizing he had no way to let anyone know what was going on. Reluctantly he sat back in the wheelchair sullenly, a sick feeling overcoming him as he wondered if what he heard he had really heard it. El and the nurse seemed unaware of what happened but he knew that doctor had threatened his friends. He wasn't hallucinating. He slumped back into the chair, Elizabeth looking at him with concern but saying nothing.

The elevator opened up again onto the 3rd floor, the nurse pushing him out carefully in the chair as Elizabeth followed. They turned to the right and headed down the bright white sterile hallway. Fluorescent lights glowed overhead filling the room with a kind of grey blue light. Neal leaned back in the chair and watched the lights pass overhead till his eyes met El's. She was looking at him curiously but smiling so he smiled back, feeling her hand squeeze his shoulder. Her touch comforted him but he was still thinking about the figure in the elevator and his room last night. It had to be Saunders. The voice and eyes... they were the same. He sat up a bit straighter as the chair came to a stop and he saw the nurse holding the door open as El rolled him into the room.

The room wasn't too much different than his own but with a few more machines. There was a breathing mask over Peter's face which confused him when he remembered the doctor saying the agent could breathe on his own. The nurse seemed to read his expression.

"The doctor felt an oxygen mask would help with the healing process. There doesn't seem to be any major physical damage so far but oxygen will help the damage heal more efficiently. It will be removed once he wakes up and we can assess him more accurately." The nurse finished speaking then busied herself with making Peter comfortable before leaving them alone in the room.

Neal pushed himself up, legs shaky, lifting himself with some effort from the wheelchair as he hobbled the last few feet to Peter's bedside. Elizabeth stood near him but let him walk on his own as he stood shakily beside the unconscious agent and looked at him. Peter's face was paler than usual but still flushed with enough color to show he was alive. Neal wanted to say something but maybe it was best he couldn't talk. He was already too choked up with emotion to feel able to speak had he the ability.

"It's ok, Neal. Stay with him. I'm going to get some coffee, ok?" She hugged him briefly before exiting the room and leaving the consultant alone with his partner and friend. Neal sat in the chair beside the bed when his body felt an unusual fatigue. He was usually a lot sturdier than this but the drug kept him feeling sluggish so he sat, his eyes on his friend. Peter didn't move, the sound of the respirator hissing in the background along with the beeping of the monitor. It depressed the younger man, wishing it was him there instead of the agent. Elizabeth deserved better than this.

There was a groan, low and just audible under the sound of the machines in the room. Neal glanced at his friend and saw Peter move ever so slightly, his eyes fluttering under closed lids.

_Peter? It's Neal. I'm right here._

Neal took his friend's hand in his own and squeezed it. Peter's hand twitched slightly in his but didn't grip back. Neal waited to see if Peter would respond but slowly his friend relaxed and seemed to fall back into unconsciousness without opening his eyes. His hand went limp in Neal's, the younger man frowning as he continued to hold it.

_I'm here Peter. Wake up soon._

Neal sat there till he heard the door open. He just assumed it was Elizabeth or a nurse, keeping his eyes on Peter. It wasn't till he felt the rag pulled over his nose and mouth he started to struggle, turning to see the masked doctor again. The chair he sat in was knocked over in the struggle as he fought against the man's hold.

"You're pretty strong for such a skinny guy. What will you do to help your friend? You've gotten involved in his sordid past for once. Don't think I don't know about your relationship. He's like a brother to you and he treats you as family." The man's voice rambled on, the chloroform starting to take over as Neal felt the fight leave him. He was kneeling now the man pushing him to the floor and pinning his arms to his side as he kept the rag pressed to his face.

"Sleep, con. I need you well rested for the next part of this game. You're a necessary piece of the puzzle."

Neal wasn't struggling anymore as his cheek lay flush with the cool tile of the floor, the room blurring gradually out of focus, the man's voice fading and echoing into the ether as he passed out and everything turned black.

**()()()**

Peter was dreaming. He heard people talking to him somewhere nearby but they were too far off for him to reply to or hear well enough to know what was being said so his dreams took over.

He remembered what happened, his eyes warm with tears as he glanced down and found his partner pale and bluish gray in his shower. Neal looked so much like a statue, his skin like alabaster and just as delicate. Peter yanked the younger man out of the shallow water immediately dropping him to the rug on the bathroom floor and removing the tape and rags from his mouth. Neal wasn't breathing, his body limp and cool to the touch.

"Neal? Neal wake up. Neal!" He was nudging the younger man trying to untie him from his binding as he felt for a pulse and listened for breath and found neither. He started CPR immediately hoping he wasn't too late as he cleared the water from his partner's pale bluish lips and started to press his own down on them as he blew air into his friend's mouth and saw Neal's chest rise slightly.

"Come on Neal... breath..." He murmured between breaths and compressions. Neal didn't move but after a few attempts he saw water slowly gurgling out of the younger man's mouth although it seemed to be with great effort, very little more than a slight twitch coming from his friend.

"Neal? Neal... what's wrong?" He shook his friend but the young man seemed far too limp for his liking. He would have done more but someone pressed a gun to his neck.

That's right... Saunders. He was remembering it all and now. He was in the basement, his friend staring up at him with dull blue dilated eyes. Neal seemed unable to move, Saunders bragging that he was going to make him pay. He was mad, angry about the criminal involving Neal, turning to confront him as he said what he felt instead of backing down.

_Pain... _

Horrible awful pain but someone had tugged on his pant cuff. He had turned to look and that's when he had been hit, whiplash whipping his head back hard as he blacked out almost immediately. It could have been worse he thought, the agent in him seeing that the trajectory was off now. It wasn't as fatal a shot or at least he would last if the blow didn't kill or damage him. If he hadn't turned...

_Darkness... _

He was in darkness now. He had been there he thought for a while, trapped. He thought about his wife, her face in his memory as he tried to wake. Her voice echoed in his mind as he thought he heard her among the voices in the background.

_Elizabeth? I'm here. Don't... don't leave me!_

He thought he could heard her crying at times but maybe it was a dream. El was out of town wasn't she. He hoped she wasn't here to see him dead but then he wished to see her one last time. Kiss her soft pink lips. Hold her and smell her perfumed hair.

_Elizabeth? I'm sorry. You deserved so much better than me. Don't be angry. I didn't want to go. Forgive me..._

Peter felt warm wetness around his eyes, awareness slowly returning to him as he could feel a tingling around his arms and became aware of something holding him upright and seated. Seated? He had fallen to the ground hadn't he? He remembered falling when the bullet hit him. Someone nudged him but he had already blacked out and the feeling had been fleeting if anything.

Peter opened his eyes, blurriness before him as he became slowly aware of his head leaning over, chin on his chest. He was sitting, hunched over and slumped forward but something held him in place. He turned his head slowly to look over his shoulder, pulling on his arms but finding them bound securely behind him.

What was going on? He was in a tee and boxers, covered with a hospital robe as he saw he was tied, the scene slowly coming into focus but continuing to blur in and out of focus. His head ached, the crinkle of bandages as he shifted slightly.

Where was he? Peter lifted his head which felt like it weighed too much for his neck and shoulders to support. He took a slow gander around the room his eyes stopping on a figure danging from the ceiling not too far away. His eyes squinted as he tried to focus on the figure. They were facing away from him, clad in nothing more than purple striped and maroon pajama bottoms and a white tee. He had seen those before somewhere, his mind trying to wake up enough to remember.

_I think its some kind of Italian roast..._

Coffee? A view of the city that was more expensive than his home.

_Neal._

Peter remembered, opening his mouth and finding it filled with something thick and cloth-like as he realized he was gagged by tape and rags. He gave a weak muffled noise, pulling against his bonds and looking at the figure hopefully.

_Neal?_

_Neal!_

As if he had spoken he heard a deep intake of breath from the figure and watched them move ever so slightly, their dangling form turning slightly. It was Neal. Peter struggled harder but was still too weak, his head throbbing beneath the bandages.

Where were they? The room was some kind of plain basement or cellar, a staircase off to his left beyond the unconscious Neal. Peter glanced around the room uncertain what was going on. He wasn't still in his own basement and he was dressed in a hospital robe and underclothes. Neal had pajamas on and it appeared a hospital bracelet on his wrist over his head. Hospital. Had he been in one? He had little sense of anything since he'd been shot, his mind a blank other than knowing he had been dreaming and heard voices.

He looked up at the sound of a door opening, turning his head to look just past Neal at the now open door. A figure walked through, their form blurring in and out of focus as Peter tried to stay conscious. His head was still aching quite a bit. Footsteps echoed in the small stone room, stopping at some point as he looked to see the figure standing before Neal. There was something familiar about them but he couldn't figure it out. They turned and seemed to be looking at him, leaving the dangling form of Neal and walking towards the agent, footsteps echoing as they approached.

Peter felt dizzy suddenly, closing his eyes and leaning his head forward tiredly. He could still hear the footsteps approaching then stop close by. Someone grasped his chin and raised his head to look up. Peter slowly opened his eyes, squinting up at the blurred figure above him. He blinked when he saw the red hair... green eyes...

_Saunders?_

The man was smiling down at him, teeth bright white, an evil grin on his face.

"Good morning, Agent Burke! Look like you've seen a ghost but you wouldn't know would you. No matter. We're going to play a game, soon as your friend is conscious." Saunders was smiling, Peter wondering how he had gotten away. He was missing something but he had been shot so what was he should know?

"We're going to have fun, just the three of us. It won't be family game night but since your partner is practically '_family_' let's just say it will be up to you to keep him alive. Partners against the outsider."

Saunders let go of his chin, turning and walking away, the door clanging closed in the background as Peter watched him leave. His head continued to ache as he leaned back as much as he could in the chair and passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

**(Chapter 4)**

Elizabeth returned to the corridor where her husband was after a long few minutes. She had bumped into Diana and Jones in the hallway coming to visit. Jones was working a hunch and had wanted to see Neal to ask him about it. He wouldn't tell her about what just yet but said it had to do with an active case. She had a feeling it had to do with her husband and what happened to Neal but she let it go for the moment, glad that she could get back to visiting with both of them.

When they reached the room Peter was supposed to be in they found several nurses and doctors outside along with a hospital security guard. They were all in deep discussion, Dr. Jenkins in the forefront when he turned and saw Elizabeth coming down the hallway. He looked a bit nervous at first, maybe even surprised as he excused himself from the group of anxious looking staff and motioned for the security guard to follow him.

"Mrs. Burke... Agents. I need to speak with you privately. Something's... happened." He kept his voice even and calm but Elizabeth put a hand to her mouth thinking the worse. Had Peter died? Where was Neal? She had to talk to Neal. Her face paled but the doctor shook his head and put a placating hand on her arm, looking straight at her.

"No... your husband is fine. Far as we know." He paused, looking at the security guard a moment who took over.

"Mrs. Burke... a nurse came to check on Mr. Burke and found him missing along with your friend, Mr. Caffrey. It looked like there was a struggle on the part of Mr. Caffrey, the chair knocked over and dented. Not sure what happened but we have Burt in Security looking through the tapes." The guard turned his attention to Diana and Jones who made a nod at the comment in unison.

"Would it be possible for us to see the scene? We work for the the FBI with Peter Burke. Our boss will want us to investigate." Diana asked, Jones nodding as he walked back with the security guard and Diana stayed a moment to talk to Elizabeth.

"Well figure this out. For Peter." She hugged El who stayed with the doctor, her eyes wet with tears. Peter had been unconscious and Neal... he was still healing. Who would have taken them? She felt a helplessness wash over her as she let the doctor move her to a nearby chair and sit down. He sat beside her, his hand still on her arm in a gentle manner.

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Burke. I don't know how this happened. I don't know how to ask this but was there any chance the person who shot your husband would return? I apologize for asking but it's necessary." Dr. Jenkins seemed sincere in his concern, El shaking her head.

"No. I was told he had been shot before he could... do the same to my husband's partner. Neal was the only witness other than Agent Jones. I was out of town when I got the news. We assumed the incident was over and done with." She started to shake slightly, sniffling as she tried to hold back her tears. Dr. Jenkins put an arm around her and let her lean on his shoulder and cry.

"I'll do everything in my power to help in the investigation. I'm sure Burt will find something. Your companions... they both worked with your husband and Mr. Caffrey? I know Jones told me he worked with your husband." He was trying to distract her by getting her to think logically about the situation. She looked up at him, wiping at her eyes and he handed her a tissue packet from his pocket. El took a moment to dab at her eyes and blow her nose before answering.

"Yes. Diana and Clinton work with Peter and Neal. Jones was the one who shot the man that hurt my husband. He was pronounced dead by the coroner." She sighed ever so slightly, her stress level increasing at the thought of her husband hurt and unconscious somewhere. She hoped Neal was taking care of him if he could. She worried about them both. What was she going to tell June? Neal's benefactor was going to pick him up tomorrow morning.

"I'm going to have to call June and let her know about this. Is that ok? She's Neal's landlady and a good friend. June was going to pick him up tomorrow when he was released." She sniffled on the last word, wiping at her eyes again. Dr. Jenkins nodded, his eyes turning to the room beyond.

"Possibly but let's wait till your friends and the guards see what happened. I've dealt with this before only as a police coroner. I changed professions when it got to be too much." He patted her gently on the shoulder as he looked to see the guard, Diana and Jones exiting the room.

"Looks like they're coming out."

Both El and the doctor looked expectantly at Jones and Diana as they walked over. Jones drew closest, making a motion for them to huddle.

"We found a few things... we need to see those surveillance tapes too if possible. Hughes says we can work with PD when they get here. Elizabeth, stay with Diana. We don't know who took your husband and we need to keep you under wraps till this is solved." Jones sounded more serious than he ever had, Diana nodding when her name was mentioned and taking over the conversation.

"You can stay with me for the night if that's ok with you." Diana was smiling at her, Elizabeth nodding.

"If it's not any trouble. I mean Christie..." She watched Diana shake her head.

"She's out of town visiting family. We have a spare room. We'll leave when you're ready. Jones, I'll meet back with you in the morning." Diana was already ready to move out as Jones nodded back and Elizabeth left the scene with the agent reluctantly.

**()()()**

Jones wasn't surprised when he heard that Peter and Neal were missing. He hadn't exactly expected the outcome to be what it was, but after Caffrey's comment he wrote the other day about whether or not Saunders was '_really_' dead, he started to look into the dead con's background and found out something that he had wanted to ask their consultant about. Now he would have to apply the knowledge into actually locating both of his colleagues vague as his intel was.

**()()()**

Neal slowly started to come to, the first thing he felt was his arms and shoulders aching. He tried to move but the more he woke up the more he became aware of himself hanging from something, his wrists burning and tingling with pain and a slight numbness. He struggled weakly, head falling back loosely as he opened his eyes and looked up at the blurry hint of rafter above him. The scene came gradually into focus and he could make out that he was bound overhead by a thin but sturdy cord to the ceiling. Neal opened his mouth to make a sound but only heard a quiet hiss of air, his voice still missing.

_Dammit! Dammit what... where am I?_

Neal was still coming too, moving his head forward and swinging some as he made a slow turn where he dangled and saw another figure come into view.

_Peter? Peter!_

Neal struggled to get his friend's attention, Peter's slumped form leaning back in a wooden chair, bound and gagged. The con struggled to free himself, feet just inches above the ground.

_Peter! Wake up!_

He was worried about his friend. He had been unconscious at the hospital, still healing and now they'd been taken by someone. He was trying to remember who, his head a bit fuzzy when the sound of a door opening drew his attention back behind him. Neal swung himself back around to see who and gaped.

"Ah. I see you're finally awake. Your partner and keeper was worrying about you earlier. He seems to have passed out. He'll be awake soon enough." Saunders was smiling at him, something small and capsule like in his hand Neal saw as the man walked towards Peter. Neal swung around to watch the man, screaming at him in silent rage, lips moving but no sound other than a soft grunt. Saunders turned and smiled evilly.

"Still no voice. Such a shame. And you were known to have a silver tongue, a tool of your trade. You won't have to worry about talking soon. Trust me."

Neal glared at the man, struggling to free his hands but feeling his wrists pulled painfully the more he struggled. He watched helplessly as their captor held the capsule under Peter's nose and squeezed it. There was a soft pop and then he watched the agent start to rouse sluggishly, a low groan escaping his friend's throat.

_Leave him alone!_

Neal was mouthing over and over at Saunders, the creaking of his bonds loud in the room as he struggled despite the pain. He didn't want to see Peter hurt any more than Saunders had already hurt them. He kept pulling and pulling till he felt a terrible pain in his right hand and it slipped out of the rope, chafing his skin. Neal pulled the other hand loose, falling to the floor in a crouch and dragging himself towards their tormentor.

"I wouldn't if I were you. He's already been shot once. Don't make me finish where my cousin started." The man turned and smiled dangerously at Neal, the con stopping short as he saw the gun pushed against Peter's temple. The agent was still barely conscious, moving ever so slightly.

_Cousin? I don't understand..._

Neal looked confused despite his anger at the situation. The man smirked.

"You couldn't tell the difference could you? We were very close and it was a strange chance we looked almost alike for having different mothers. We were often mistaken for twins despite some minor differences. I figured now that he's gone, I'd take over what plans he had. I was always wanting to join him and did on the one job that your '_friend_' here caught him on. I got away but Gregory didn't. He did several years but now... well we had it all planned till your agent's subordinate walked in. Nobody even knew I was there." He kept the gun on Peter, throwing a pair of cuffs at Neal and pointing at a nearby pipe.

"Cuff yourself there or I'll splatter his brains all over this room." He made a motion without lifting the gun from Peter's temple, Neal reluctantly cuffing one wrist and starting the other one when Saunders make a tsk-tsk noise.

"Behind you, please. I know your reputation enough that you can break free of most cuffs but these were specially made. The key is very unique and there is only one of a kind. I was anticipating this... as was Gregory. He had hoped to do it himself but _cest la vie_. I can do this if I have to for my poor departed cousin." Saunders watched him, gun cocking loudly as Neal complied and pulled his hands behind him as he cuffed himself in place. Once done, he watched the man walk over to check apparently. He had been expecting that, his most blank but angry expression on.

"Need to check those cuffs and make sure you're not bluffing."

Neal just watched the man, waiting for him to get closer but half way he saw Saunders raise the gun and before he could move something hot and searing tore into his shoulder. The con was pushed back against the pipe and wall hard, sliding down to the ground as his face contorted in pain. He hadn't actually clicked on the last cuff but apparently Saunders knew that.

"You think I'm stupid enough to trust you?" Saunders dragged him up painfully by the hurt arm, raising Neal's arms over his head just high enough to stretch the wound and finish cuffing him. The man was smiling, poking a finger into the wound which bled heavily, Neal's white tee stained with a growing redness. He winced with barely a strangled sound, his vocal cords not projecting the pain he felt, mouth open in a silent scream.

"This was just a bonus. We'll have more fun once your friend is ready and that will be sooner than you think. Gregory had some interesting things in store for you both if he had the time but now that he's gone, I will have the pleasure." Saunders turned and left the room a moment, Neal struggling ever so slightly but unable to do much with his shoulder aching from the gunshot. It had gone clear through but it still ached, warm blood oozing from the wound on both sides as it continued to stain his t-shirt. He glanced across at Peter and tried to make a sound to gain his attention. The agent remained in a semi-conscious state, eyes closed as he sat slumped back in the chair.

A few minutes went by and Saunders appeared again. He had a large black bag with him.

"I guess you've figured out I have medical experience. How else would I have known about that interesting drug you were given. It's not widely known outside of the medical community and only used on trauma patients but I think Dr. Jenkins told you that already. He's a very good doctor. I worked under him once so I knew how to get around his hospital and staff surprisingly easy. I never made it to residency but I had friends who did and pumped them for all the info I could."

Neal watched as the man opened the large case and started to pull out some vials of things he could only guess at, syringes, and finally a dangerous looking scalpel. The man held it up, the lights in the room making it glitter ever so ominously.

"I should really take a look at that wound considering I gave it to you. I may have to cut the bullet out." The man's voice was dangerously manic, his green eyes glittering with something Neal could only think was psychotic.

"Oh I know it went through cleanly, but I must practice my trade if I ever want to be a 'good' doctor... or a bad one." He was closer now, the scalpel held up to Neal's face.

"I almost forgot." Saunders pulled out another pair of cuffs and squatted at Neal's feet, binding them with the metal manacles till they were secured.

"There. You're properly secured for surgery. Shall we get started?"

**()()()**

Neal slumped limply against his bonds, the cuffs chafing his already aching wrists. He had partially dislocated one hand to free himself originally and it still ached painfully as he hung there from the pipe. Saunders had cut into his wound not making it bleed more but just enough to make it hurt. Then he had brought in a small torch, heated up the same blade and pressed the searingly hot metal to the wound to cauterize it. In most cases that would be a good thing, sealing the wound and making it whole again but Saunders made a few minor cuts here and there, cauterizing them for his own amusement till Neal didn't even respond to the pain anymore. He was too far gone to even blink, his body in shock from all that he had been put through.

_Breath..._

Blue eyes continued to stare blankly ahead despite the familiar voice speaking to him. He could no longer deal with the pain and torture so he had gone within, hiding from himself and the agony.

_Breath..._

He felt himself start to come back to himself slowly, Neal responding to the memory of someone talking to him.

_Peter?_

Neal was suddenly focusing on the room again, looking across at the chair and seeing it empty. His heart started to thump wildly with fear as he wondered what that man had done to his friend. Where was Peter? He pulled on the cuffs despite the pain, the metal links rattling loudly in the stone room. He kept pulling, willing to dislocate his other hand if he had to.

_PETER!_

He kept pulling till he heard the door open yet again, not remembering it closing or Saunders leaving with the agent. The man was wearing a surgical mask over his face again, scrubs on and walking forward in an ominous manner.

"I think we're about ready for you now, Mr. Caffrey. It's your turn. The doctor will see you now."

**oOoOoOo**

**Author's Note****: **_I am writing this as quickly as I can so please forgive the delay. Conveniently, my other story for __NaNoWriMo__ also has a temporarily mute character so it's not too far off the beaten path. I'm over 20K and closer to 21K for the competition. If only there was an actual prize beyond the "virtual pat on the back." ;) Hope you're enjoying this story and thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

**(Chapter 5)**

Elizabeth looked around the small but homey apartment of her husband's junior agent. Agent Diana Barrigan had a cozy little place, well decorated and pretty. She took her time looking around as Diana called from the kitchen.

"Did you want something to drink, Mrs. Burke? I have coffee, cocoa, tea?" The agent sounded a bit nervous if not tense, the feeling mutual considering the circumstances. Elizabeth walked over to the kitchen and peeked inside as she saw the agent turn and smile at her.

"Tea is fine and call me Elizabeth. We've known each other long enough to go by first names." Elizabeth tried to sound calmer than she felt but knowing her husband and Neal had been kidnapped by someone scared her more than his injuries. She was still concerned that he had been hurt and this move might do more damage. She sighed, sitting on a bar stool at the counter that separated the kitchen and living area.

"I... I wish I had been able to grab some things. Do you think I'll have to stay in a safe house, Diana?" She was leaning on the counter, her hands twined together as she wrung them off and on. She heard the hiss of hot water and turned to see Diana turning off a coffee maker looking device as she walked over and sat beside her. She had two cups in her hands and placed one before her.

"I hope you like Chamomile tea. Christie thought it would do me good to calm down a bit." Diana laughed lightly, Elizabeth nodding and smiling.

"I tell Peter that all the time. You are both so dedicated to your jobs. I just get so nervous about when he goes on stings. How does Christie deal?" Elizabeth sipped at her tea, glancing around the apartment and taking it all in to distract herself.

"Well... she doesn't like that I have to go undercover but other than that, she knew I would be working some dangerous jobs at times. It is the bureau. Nothing there is ever as easy as it seems." Diana would have said more but her doorbell rang and she excused herself. Elizabeth glanced around the counter and saw the agent loosen the strap on her gun, peer through the peep hole then relax and open the door.

"Anne. Thanks again. I hope it wasn't too much trouble. Thanks... tell Hughes I'll see him in the morning." Diana seemed to be carrying something as she closed the door and walked back towards the kitchen. She left the item near the sofa before she rejoined Elizabeth.

"Agent Maxton went by your place and picked up some clothes for you. I hope you don't mind. We couldn't risk taking you there in case the person who took Peter and Neal was still around. Maxton will take you to the safe house with me and Jones in tow tomorrow unless we find your husband and Caffrey sooner. Jones is working a lead." She smiled as much as she could under the circumstances. Diana was loyal to Peter, one of his best agents as was Jones. They would do anything for them and she knew Diana had to have volunteered to watch her for Peter's sake.

"Thank you Diana. I really appreciate it. Thank Agent Maxton for me if I don't see her first."

**()()()**

Jones was looking over a file the next morning after they had dropped Mrs. Burke off at the safe house. Maxton stayed with her while Diana came in with Jones to help him with the hunch he had. He stretched and yawned, slumping back in his seat and looking exhausted. He glanced up when Diana placed a cup of coffee before him.

"Thanks. I've been trying to figure this out all night. There was something about Neal's request when he asked me if Saunders was dead. He looked like he'd seen a ghost when I was talking about Saunders being dead and I knew it. I'm glad Hughes got me back on. I have to find Peter. He's out there." Jones sounded pretty adamant for him, Diana nodding with a grim glance up to their boss' office. She could imagine him up there hard at work on a case with Neal coming in and working with him or annoying him about doing case files. She smiled slightly at the thought before a frown met her lips. Jones saw her expression and nodded.

"I'm sure they're ok. Caffrey's a survivor. He'll get them out of this if any one will. He's as tenacious as Peter. He got Peter out of the office building when he was poisoned." Jones nodded again at Diana's words, both agents digging through the pile of files Jones had dragged out. He was looking through the case files on Gregory Saunders wondering if something had been missed. Another agent had been killed during the sting but it had been no fault of anyone, Saunders a known maniac. He had already killed several guards at the bank he was robbing and a few hostages. Killing was second nature to him and they couldn't figure out how he had done so much for one man.

Jones kept his search up, Hughes walking down at some point and surprising them both as he sat on the edge of the desk much like Peter would and talked to them.

"How's the search going, Jones... Barrigan?" He sounded tired, his usual grumpy manner toned down as he looked upset if not worried about losing one of their best agents and consultants. Jones nodded, standing as he pointed at the pile of papers.

"Nothing yet, but I noticed that in the original Saunders case he seemed to be in more than one place than once. I find that odd but there's no explanation for it other than he had to have an accomplice and there is no mention of anyone but Gregory Saunders being implicated in the crime. His was the only face seen on the cameras at any one time. I can't explain it but there had to be someone else there they missed. It doesn't make sense, sir!" Jones sat down after a moment, looking tired and frustrated. Hughes patted him on the shoulder.

"It's ok. We'll figure it out. Have you finished with the tapes from the hospital?" Hughes stood up now, stifling his own yawn. They were all tired having spent the past 18 hours or so looking for Peter Burke and Neal Caffrey who had been kidnapped mysteriously from the hospital. Jones nodded.

"I had Bobby in forensics looking it over. He should get back with me soon." He had no sooner said that when the phone rang and Diana picked it up.

"Agent Barrigan. Yes... he's right here." She handed the phone to Jones who pushed the receiver to his ear and nodded, writing down something on a pad and paper as he dragged it to the top of the pile of papers and files on his desktop.

"Yes... Hey Bobby. Tell me what you have. Ok... you're certain of that? Saunders. Ok. Thank you. Send me a copy of what you have." Jones hung up the phone, Hughes and Diana looking at him intently. He must have looked like he'd been given some bad news but it had been weird to say the least.

"Well... what did Agent Johnson have to say? Jones?" Diana placed a hand on his arm and he turned to look at her, taking a deep breath before he spoke to them both. Hughes had sat back on the edge of the desk, leaning over a bit.

"Well... Robert found something interesting. Saunders was on the tape or at the very least it looked like Gregory Saunders. He had the face checked through facial recognition when he found a frame with no surgical mask..." Hughes interrupted.

"The kidnapper was disguised as a doctor? Dammit! Figures that would be how they got in. They must have known the hospital to get around so easily so perhaps they were staff there?" He was rubbing his chin and waiting for Jones to finish. Diana piped in.

"Wait... Saunders was pronounced dead by the coroner. Did we know them or was it an outside party?" She was taking in every angle since the case was still fresh. NYPD had been called and shared their findings so far with them but they were no closer to an answer than the FBI. Hughes shook his head.

"It was one of ours. It wasn't a crooked coroner. There's something to Jones' idea that there was another man with Saunders but why would the PD and agents write they only saw one man. Gregory couldn't have done it all by himself. We knew that but there was no proof of another hostage taker or shooter. All the footage showed was Saunders alone doing what he did when Burke caught him."

They all nodded, looking more confused than before. There had to be something in the files indicating who this was if it wasn't Saunders come back from the dead then who was this look-alike? The phone rang again, Jones letting Diana take it as he thought over his hunch and Hughes excused himself as his own phone rang. Jones was leaned back in his chair, swinging it back and forth slowly, eyes closed when he felt a hard punch in the shoulder, opening them again to see Diana smiling at him fiercely. He blinked and saw she was writing something down.

"Thank you again for calling, Dr. Jenkins. Yes, I wrote it all down. Thank you again. We'll be in touch." She hung up the phone with a big grin on her face, Jones confused as he had been spacing out when the call started. They must have gotten a tip.

"Ok Diana... spill it. I mean you obviously ate the canary. What's up?" He was sitting up now, her smile making him a bit self-conscious till she pushed the paper over. Clinton looked down at the sheet and read the words then looked up and the smile was on his face.

"You're kidding me? That's our man? Dammit... The hunch was right and nobody even had a clue about him. He had a cousin who was almost his exact twin. No wonder nobody knew he didn't work alone. One got away but the camera ID was even confused. Bobby said it came back as Gregory Saunders but now we know it wasn't. It was his cousin, Jordan. Let me tell Hughes." Jones got up and started for the office as Diana made her way to the case files and computer to find more info on their new mystery man.

**()()()**

Neal was silently cursing at the man as Saunders approached, a hissing sound coming from his throat. His captor held a scalpel dangerously in his hands as he approached the con, green eyes glittering.

"Your friend is resting in the other room but you... well, I need to prep you for the game. Behave and I won't make you forfeit your turn by dying now, understood?" His voice was expressionless only a slight hint of malice in it as Neal nodded reluctantly. The man seemed to smile as he walked forward and pushed the scalpel up against his Adam's apple as he raised his other hand up and unlocked one cuff, Neal slumping down some from the pain of his shoulder wound. Saunders kept the scalpel close, pushing Neal down to a kneeling position as he held the sharp blade to the his neck and released one of the leg cuffs. When he was done he cuffed them back and pulled Neal roughly to his feet, recuffing his hands behind him.

"Now come along, Mr. Caffrey. Your keeper is waiting for you." His voice was smug, Neal imagining a nasty smirk beneath the mask but he dealt with it for Peter's sake shuffling along with the cuffs around his ankles, arms behind him. These weren't the normal cuffs as Saunders had said but he would figure out a way to escape and get back at the bastard. These thoughts kept him going as he was forced down the hallway and then into a new room. He saw two chairs, one at the far end surrounded by what looked like three dart boards, the other near the entrance. Both appeared to be bolted to the floor and had chains with manacles on the end not too dissimilar to the cuffs he had now. He was pushed forward to the far chair and forced to sit down. Saunders unhooked one cuff as he put pressure on Neal's shoulder which made the con wince quietly, distracting him enough that he was latched into the chair with the same cuffs and more restraints pulled around him and his legs. He could barely move when Saunders moved away.

"Now to bring in your friend. He's going to be an important player in this game. I hope you have some way to talk to him. This game requires a significant amount of conversation. You might be the weak link if you can't get through to him." Those green eyes twinkled evilly back at him as they turned and left him alone, Neal struggling to free himself but wrenching either his hand or shoulder and remaining still for a time to recover. He closed his eyes and leaned back as much as he could, his mind reacting to the loss of blood, torture and a need for water if not food. He wasn't sure how long they had been here, but his stomach felt empty so it had to be at the very least twelve hours if not a little more. It didn't help he had lost quite a bit of blood so he was even thirstier but Saunders wasn't about to help them even if he could talk and beg for water.

"Come on Agent Burke. Just a little bit further... watch out for the wall. Yes, just keep walking." Saunder's voice brought Neal out of his tiredness as he opened his eyes to look at his captor.

_Peter?_

Saunders was leading Peter inside but the agent had been blindfolded with duct tape and his arms were cuffed before him, his mouth still covered in tape and gagged. Neal struggled despite his pain to sit up and draw his friend's attention. He found he could bang his cuffs a bit behind him, doing it in a quick rhythmic manner that made the agent pause and turn as if looking for something.

_I-M-O-K_

_H-O-W-R-U_

Neal hoped Peter understood his quick message without Saunders catching on. He saw Peter make slight a nod in his direction before Saunders forced him into the seat at the entrance and put a kind of harness around his waist that pulled out just enough for him to stand up. Peter's legs were cuffed to the chair legs so he could only stand in one position. Neal watched the scene, uncertain what Saunders was up to, his confusion growing as he drew out a gun and placed it in Peter's hands.

"Don't think you can shoot me, Agent Burke. I have another gun pointed at you. If you try to kill me, I will kill you first then your consultant there. I'll be long gone before they find your bodies. Understood?" Saunders was staring at the blindfolded Peter who nodded tersely.

"Good. Now the rules of the game are simple. I have placed three bullets in the gun one for each of the three targets on the opposite of the room. They are surrounding your partner. You must hit each target once, if you miss any one, you both die. If you hit all three, we move onto the next game. It's much more fun but his one... is exciting. I hope you're ready."

Neal suddenly peered around and realized what those targets were for and was nervous they were so close. Saunders actually expected that Peter could shoot straight being cuffed, hurt and blindfolded? The man was a maniac. He still couldn't make any sounds, Saunders looking at him.

"Well, Mr. Caffrey... I hope you can communicate where the targets are so that you will both live for the next game. I wouldn't want the fun to end so soon. Now, you have 2 minutes in which to shoot or I automatically kill you both. We begin... NOW!"

**()()()**

Peter shook ever so slightly, the gun pointed blindly out in front of him, a sheen of sweat obvious as he held the weapon up and didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't want to hurt Neal, he'd rather shoot this bastard beside him but he could feel the gun pressed on his temple so he had to shoot or else. They were both dead men but the longer they could stay alive, the more time it gave Jones and Diana to find them. He hoped they were close but would they know what had happened?

The agent trembled knowing his time was ebbing away quickly. He was about to take a shot, raising the gun up when he heard it. He wasn't sure what it was at first till he listened closer and nodded.

After a moment he cocked back the gun and hoped that what he heard had been truth. The gun jerked in his hand and he heard a sound of it hitting something hard. He grimaced hoping it hadn't hit his friend, a clapping sound beside him startling him ever so slightly as he uncocked the gun.

"Congratulations Agent Burke, you hit the first target and near the middle. Not sure how you did it but you both live a bit longer. Let's try for the next one. Think your luck will last?"

**oOoOoOo**

**Author's Note:** _Just hit over 24K Saturday and hopefully will get over 25K on Sunday. Nearly halfway to ending NaNoWriMo! YAY! Thanks to those of you who have reviewed. I appreciate it. I hope you liked this chapter. I'll write the next one ASAP. Thanks for reading, faving and putting this on alert. Always appreciated._


	6. Chapter 6

**(Chapter 6)**

Hughes was excited by the news that they had found out who it was that might have taken his agent and consultant. He authorized Jones and Diana to do what had to be done to find out more about this Jordan Saunders and his background. Anything that would find their missing colleagues and keep Mrs. Burke safe.

Diana volunteered to go talk to the hospital staff and Dr. Jenkins to get more information since it was the physician who had offered them the name when he had been allowed to view the footage. Apparently Jordan had passed through there not too many years back as an intern but his temper and some other sordid activities had made them revoke his position and throw the man out.

Jordan Saunders according to those that did remember him was said to have had the best of experience and knowledge but he used it in a way that was unconscionable. As an intern he had taken it upon himself to give someone medicine they weren't supposed to have. The patient had nearly died from the dosage even though Saunders had claimed he did the right thing. He was just doing what the patient had asked him to which was proven when talking to the young woman in question but it was not her he had to justify his actions to but the board of medical professionals and the hospital board of regents. They had heard more than enough of his actions, temper at other interns and residents who disagreed with his means to an end. Saunders was banned from the medical community and not able to find a position even at a minor clinic his name was trashed.

Diana talked to Dr. Jenkins and found that Jordan had sent anonymous letters, handwritten which is why they knew it was him. He was very meticulous with his writing so they tried to find him to prosecute but he was elusive and fell off the grid till the notes stopped and everything seemed normal. Now that Jenkins knew he had been involved with that hostage murder spree with his cousin Gregory, it all made sense. Some of those murdered patients had been seen by one of their own coroners and the word was they recognized the marks on the body as threats made by Jordan for his dismissal and betrayal by the hospital and medical professionals.

Agent Barrigan thanked the doctor for his time and left the hospital. She headed back to the bureau and typed up her findings for Jones and Hughes. Jones meanwhile was spending his time looking for properties either of the Saunders may have owned. They must have had some kind of real estate to hide Peter and Neal away. It had been nearly 24 hours since the two had gone missing and no sign had been found. Jordan had kept himself hidden away and no trace of him found on any traffic cams. He had known he would be tracked so they had little to go on beyond the knowledge that both Peter and Neal had to be in the city. Neal's tracker had gone offline just outside the hospital so it was useless telling them how or where.

()()()

Elizabeth Burke sat in the safe house, Satchmo moping sadly in the corner. He seemed to sense something was wrong, El doing her best to pet and put the dog at ease as she did the same for herself. She worried about her husband, wondering if he was still ok. He had been unconscious when whoever had taken him had kidnapped him and Neal. She hoped if anything, Neal was well enough because she knew he would defend her husband as Peter had defended him in the past. She had been frightened to hear about her husband's close call when going undercover not too long ago but Neal had gone in and rescued him.

She sighed, moving over to the bed and curling up under the covers. She was tired, worried and exhausted not knowing where or how her husband was. Not knowing was worse of all. She had contacted June briefly before she had been put in the safe house, Diana getting permission to let Neal's landlady know what had happened. She would keep everything hush hush but ask Mozzie about Saunders if at all possible. They needed an insider to find out something and Hughes knew the man wouldn't talk to anyone but Neal and sometimes Peter on the rare occasion. She promised to ask the con when she saw him.

El didn't want to worry but what could she do? She heard the soft knock on the door to the bedroom and got up, walking over to open it. It was Agent Maxton.

"Mrs. Burke, we got Chinese if you're hungry." The agent who wasn't too much older than herself smiled but Elizabeth just shook her head.

"Thanks but maybe later. I'm not too hungry right now. Any news?" She was hopeful but the agent shook her head sadly. El nodded back and closed the door as the agent moved away. She went back to the bed and lay on it, curled up in a ball. She wanted Peter back by her side. She missed him, the way his face crinkled up when he sneezed or the face he made when he was happy. He always looked so innocent, his good-natured attitude always shining through. He was like a grown child at times but she loved him despite his tendency towards stoicism. She wiped at her eyes, tears falling silently as she closed her eyes and let them fall.

**()()()**

Peter couldn't speak, his mouth full of rags, lips tightly covered in tape. He could hear just fine but his eyes had been covered in gauze and then wrapped with more tape. He was blind and mute but he could hear just fine and it was a miracle Neal was able to talk to him through Morse code considering he seemed to be gagged in some manner. He wasn't certain why the young man couldn't talk, his memory still fuzzy on things from the original assault.

His legs ached, body tired but he stood knowing if he didn't do what Saunders wanted he would die if not Neal. They were probably dead anyway, he was certain any test they past would be followed by something more deadly. He was just relieved when Saunders had been honest enough to let him know he had hit the target and not his partner. If he had killed Neal coerced or otherwise, he'd never forgive himself. The con was like family to himself and El. He had to protect him like Neal had tried to protect him. He realized now that tug on his pant cuff is what saved him from certain death. He would have remained in the same spot, not turned his head and been hit head on. Peter shivered at the thought, his palms sweaty as he stood and waited for whatever trial Saunders insisted on. He had hit one of three targets with two left.

"Agent Burke, are you ready for the next round? You've hit one target..." He felt the gun at his temple again and another gun like before placed in his hands. They were cuffed so it was hard to hold the gun correctly but he was doing ok with what help Neal was able to direct him with. He nodded despite himself, a kind of happy sound coming from the man.

"Well then. Let's see if your partner proves as ingenious as before. It may have been a fluke. You have the usual time now... begin!"

Peter felt that tremor again or maybe he was just exhausted. He hadn't eaten in several hours or had a drink of water. Saunders didn't seem to care that they were well just that they performed. The agent held up the gun and glanced into the darkness.

_Neal, answer me. I don't want to hurt you._

He plead silently till he heard the sound and sighed in relief, drawing the gun as he was directed by his partner and friend. Soon he could imagine a target in his mind and it was all he could to do to pull the trigger afraid of hurting Neal but he did. There was a sound of the bullet hitting something hard and then silence. He wanted to collapsed to his knees and disappear but the clapping startled him yet again and he heard Saunders smug voice.

"You actually got a bull's eye that time, Agent Burke. You are an amazing shot beyond what Gregory told me from your record. That's two targets hit and only one more. Think you can keep it up for a chance at the next round?"

Peter just wanted to say hell with it and shoot the man despite what might happen to him. If he put him away then at least Neal would be safe if he got Saunders first. He felt a hand push him back and he felt himself in the chair and held there.

"Such trust between the both of you."

Saunder's voice was menacing as he felt the gun removed from his hands and quiet footsteps move away. Peter peered around in the darkness of the blindfold tempted to remove it but heard a tsk tsk sound.

"Don't think about it, Agent Burke. I'll shoot your friend then you. Now... I think I've evened out the playing field a bit more to my liking. Shall we go on to the next round?"

**()()()**

Neal was relieved that Peter could follow his quiet thumps and hit the target to his left. Peter was a pretty good shot but there was still one more target remaining, the con looking up over his head. It was practically behind him but he squooshed down as much as he could in his restraints so he could be sure not to be hit. He could just make out the conversation between Peter and Saunders, exhaustion hitting him hard. His shoulder was burning with pain and his face felt a bit flushed. He saw Saunders turn and walk from the now sitting Peter towards him and hold up something shiny. It wasn't a gun but a syringe.

"A little something to make things '_interesting_.' Not as potent as the last one but still fun." Saunders spoke so only Neal could hear, pushing back his head and injecting him with the fluid. The consultant struggled but soon whatever was in the needle was in his system and he felt more relaxed although he could move but didn't want to as the drug made him slump back more. Saunders smiled down at him.

"Excellent. Shall we start this again?" Saunders looked down at him, Neal's vision blurring in and out just a bit more than it had been. He felt too relaxed but he could shift around if he felt like it but he didn't or at least his body wouldn't act very coordinated. Saunders seemed to be messing with his bonds before he left. Neal frowned slightly, eyes drooping as he tried to keep conscious. He could just hear Saunders' voice speaking across the room.

"... Shall we go on to the next round?"

Neal wondered what he meant, his mind tired and threatening to go off on it's own tangent as he tried to concentrate. He was supposed to be doing something, eyes trying to focus on what he had been doing. He just couldn't remember.

"Now, Agent Burke there is one target left. You must shoot it if you wish to go onto the next round with your partner. Begin... NOW!" Saunders' voice echoed in the small room but Neal just slumped in the seat although he felt something holding him up at least around his neck. It felt like some kind of head brace or collar. Neal fidgeted in the chair a bit and found his hands weren't cuffed anymore. When had that happened? He looked down at his freed hands and saw something else beside him on the chair. He blinked at it then looked up at the figures on the far end and saw that Saunders held something metallic against Peter's skull.

"Shoot agent. You want both of you to die? I will pull the trigger."

**()()()**

Peter was sweating, drops of it rolling down his temples over the tape that covered his eyes. It rolled down the back and sides of his neck as he wished he was anywhere but here.

"Your time is running out agent. You need to shoot or I will." Saunders' smug voice was nagging at him in the darkness, Peter's anger and despair making him tremble and his hand shake. Maybe it was the lack of water and food but he was nervous, waiting for Neal to reply but hearing nothing. He finally raised the gun and cocked it back, pulling the trigger.

**()()()**

Jones was on his way for a much needed break. Hughes had insisted although he would have worked through the rest of the day. It had been over 24 hours and they were still looking for Peter and Neal. There was nothing to tell them where Jordan Saunders would have taken them. It was just after 8 pm when he stepped out of the lobby of the bureau building and heard someone call his name.

"Agent Jones!"

Clinton turned around to see a some what familiar face running towards him. The form of Dr. Jenkins stood there by him as they came to a stop and raised a hand.

"Can I have a moment of your time?" He was out of breath as he walked beside the agent who nodded.

"Sure. I was just stepping out to get a sandwich across the street if you want to join me?" Jones watched the doctor nod as they crossed the road and entered the small deli. Jones made his order then moved to the back of the building to a corner booth with Dr. Jenkins.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your break but I may have some information for you. I was listening to some of my staff talking and one of them was an intern with Jordan. Normally I wouldn't have paid any attention to what was said but this sounded important so I interrupted them long enough to get the details." The doctor sipped at a cup of water as he watched Jones sip at a cup of coffee and unwrap his sandwich. Jones paused when he heard what the doctor had to say.

"So what was it they said that you think might be a lead? We can use everything we can get our hands on right now." Jones took a quick bite of his sandwich as he watched the doctor pull something out of his pocket. It was a small piece of paper with something written on it.

"This... they said this was an address Saunders liked to frequent when he did things his way. We didn't know about this at the time or he would have been put away for life. He was running his own clinic out of this abandoned building and the intern said that he never told anyone because Jordan had threatened to kill him if not his family." Jenkins pushed the paper over to Jones who looked down to see the address and building description written in the physicians fine print.

"I'll look into it. Thank you, doctor." Jones was already pulling his phone out to call Diana. She was still upstairs. The doctor smiled and stood up.

"I'm glad to help. Please let me know if it was useful. Good-night."

**oOoOoOo**

**Author's Note:** I'm over 25K. YAY! More than half-way with NaNoWriMo so I'm happy. Just glad I can write this up too but now I am working on another fic in my head. I have to thank some of the people who have commented out there for that. I will be working on another fic soon as this one is finished. Thx for reading and commenting. :D


	7. Chapter 7

**(Chapter 7)**

Diana looked up as Jones walked back into the main area of their offices, a bag in his hands which had to be his dinner and two cups of coffee in the other. He walked over towards her as she held up a file and he smiled. Hughes' office was dark now, the director having finally gone home for a little rest. Diana told Jones that Hughes would be back in the morning if they needed him, or they could call if there was a lead in the case or an emergency that required him to come in.

He smiled at her, handing her something from the bag and a cup of coffee before sitting down. She already had the PC up and running a database with a satellite map and city map side by side. She was a fast worker.

"Looks like that address is in the warehouse district by the railroad loading docks. It belongs to a manufacturing company that left it abandoned because they were planning to demolish the building last year to turn the lot into a factory. The deal fell through so it's been sitting there empty for the past year. They don't bother leaving a guard on it due to costs but the representative I was able to contact said they would get back to us in the morning when they were able to contact the President of their corporation."

Jones made a face at her words, something she expected as a twinkle entered her eyes. He arched a brow at her expression knowing that look.

"I'm guessing you told them what was at stake?" He was grinning now as was she, her head nodding at him as she turned, several agents entering the lobby from the elevator.

"I called in the calvary. Hughes is on his way too. He's getting the search warrant now that we have permission from the owners. I wasn't about to wait till tomorrow when Peter and Neal need us now." She pointed over at the bullet proof vests and other gear in the corner on the floor. Jones hadn't noticed it till she pointed at them, her hand raising the coffee to her lips as she took a sip. She smiled.

"Caramel Mocha. You got my favorite!" She was grinning broader now, taking another sip but he just shrugged with a smile.

"What else for my kick-ass colleague. I guess we should suit up?"

**()()()**

Peter felt the sweat dribbling slowly down his temples and forehead over the blindfold. He wasn't sure he cared if he got shot anymore, his body trembling from lack of food and water. It felt like an eternity they had been here. He just wanted out as he tried to concentrate on just remaining upright, the cool metal of the gun pressed against his temple. He felt the other gun in his hands but it was empty now, his fingers pulling the trigger once more and hearing an empty '_click._'

"Tsk Tsk Agent Burke. You missed the target. I didn't think you'd be such a bad shot after all the good you did the first time around. Was there something missing? Some hidden cues that just didn't sound at the right time." Saunders' voice reeked with sarcasm, Peter clenching his fists round the empty gun, ready to pound the man with it if he had to.

"I guess you know what this means? I hope you're not a sore loser." He chuckled, Peter feeling the weapon taken from his hands as the other gun was removed from his temple and he heard someone opening up a chamber. There was a jingling sound like coins but too large and thick he thought and realized immediately what they were.

"This whole time you could have just shot me Agent Burke and ended your whole ordeal but you were trapped by your lack of sight. It's a shame really. I had hoped to go onto the next round but rules are rules and the game is over. You failed."

He could hear the sliding of bullets into the chamber as it was spun and another one pushed inside.

_one... spin... two..._

He heard the bullets slide into the chamber of the revolver. A hand nudged him forcibly and he fell back, his balance off by his lack of sight. He fell hard into the chair and heard the click of the chamber shut as it spun round like a quiet wheel and then stopped.

"I guess for two targets, I owe you at the very least a make up challenge. If you survive this round, you can both go home. What do you say to that? Three out of three and you're free to go?" Saunders' voice was full of manic mirth, Peter unable to speak but for a muffled curse. He was pressed into the chair by the man, struggling till he felt the metal pushed against his temple again. Peter almost felt resigned to his fate, his body too tired to do much in its current state.

"Russian Roulette. I'm sure you've heard of it. I have two bullets in here and the wheel's been spun. Do you feel lucky today, Agent Burke? Shall we spin the wheel round again?"

Peter heard the quiet click as the revolver chamber spun near his ear then stopped.

"Ok... round one. Do you live... or do you die? What has fate in store for you this fine night."

**()()()**

Neal watched through bleary eyes as Peter aimed the gun practically at him, a tenseness in his form as he trembled ever so slight. Saunders was egging him on, telling Peter his time was nearly up.

_Shoot me Peter. Get it over with and go home if you can.  
Just shoot me and go back to Elizabeth. Please!_

Neal closed his eyes, forgetting about the item he'd noticed beside him. He waited for the kill shot when he heard the report and winced. It took him a moment to realize he felt no pain thinking maybe the drugs were just that good but no. He looked and found no wounds. He reached up with one uncoordinated hand and wiped at his head. Nothing but sweat, his forehead feeling hot as he swiped his hand over it. He shivered slightly as he lowered his hand again and peered across at his friend. Saunders held the back end of the scalpel to Peter's forehead, the agent thinking he was still at gun point as he clenched the now empty gun he'd shot into the ceiling in his trembling hands.

_Why Peter? You could have... gone._

Neal slumped back even more in the seat. He was still held to some degree by the cuffs on his ankles and the straps around his torso but his wrists were free. He glanced down at the object again he'd noticed beside him on the seat. It was shiny and metal, glinting a bluish gray in the light of the bare bulbs that hung over head. One hand bumped its cool form but not enough to move it, his manner clumsy and weak from the drugs. He was forgetting something, his mind hazy and blank as he tried to think what it was. All the while he could hear Saunders' voice off and on as he turned his eyes back towards the two blurry figures across the room.

"This whole time you could have just shot me Agent Burke and ended your whole ordeal but you were trapped by your lack of sight. It's a shame really. I had hoped to go onto the next round but rules are rules and the game is over. You failed."

Neal blanked out again, the voice of their captor fading in and out of his consciousness as his eyes and attention were once again drawn to the object beside him. He gazed at it curiously then up again as he focused on Saunders. The man was fiddling with something in his hands, something that looked like the item here. Neal yawned sleepily, his body feeling tired as he continued to shiver ever so slightly where he sat. His body was cold but his face felt unusually warm, a malaise unrelated to the drugs washing over him. All he wanted to do was sleep but something kept him staring at the metallic object beside him and then back at Saunders.

"Russian Roulette. I'm sure you've heard of it. I have two bullets in here and the wheel's been spun. Do you feel lucky today, Agent Burke? Shall we spin the wheel round again?"

Neal watched Saunders place the gun... that's what it was called... against Peter's temple and spin the wheel. His eyes turned for a moment and looked at the object beside him. It was an automatic. A Luger. His mind worked through the mechanics of the weapon and before he knew it, it was suddenly in his hands pointed before him. His eyes squinted ever so much as he stared down the barrel and pointed the weapon ahead. He had done this before, Neal knew that much but something had always kept him from picking these up. He was fearful. He knew more than he wanted to know about the dangers of guns but something he didn't understand took over and he let it. Neal was too weak to handle this on a conscious level but this other self lifted the gun a bit higher as his finger slowly pulled back the trigger.

**()()()**

Peter heard the gun cocked back and waited for the bullet that would take his life from him. If he regretted anything, it was not being able to say good-bye to his wife. Had she come to visit him in the hospital? Had she known what happened? Peter had dreamed she was there in as he lay in the darkness, somewhere crying over him and pleading with him to wake up. He wanted to see her again and hold her close.

_I'm sorry Elizabeth. I'm so sorry for everything._

He closed his eyes beneath the gauze and tape that kept him from seeing and waited for death. The report was farther away than he thought but he was exhausted and tired so may his mind was playing tricks on him. He felt no pain, a second report surprising him as he felt debris fall upon him. He ducked as much as he could as small chunks of something hit him from overhead but no bullet.

_?_

Peter waited but nothing else happened, his hands finally going up towards his eyes and pulling at the tape and gauze (_Hell with Saunders' threats!_) till he could slowly open them up and squint in the brightness of the bare bulbs hanging overhead. It felt like a lifetime since he'd seen anything beyond darkness even though he knew it had been but a few hours. He gazed down and found his wrists cuffed and the harness around his waist and manacles on his ankles. His gaze turned to a figure curled up on the ground to his left.

_Saunders?_

Peter held up his cuffed wrists and pulled the tape from his lips, spitting out the rags and coughing. He gazed down at the man who lay seemingly dead beside him, gun still in hand but something else caught his attention. Peter pulled himself up from the chair as far as the harness and cuffs would take him, kneeling beside his dead captor and lifted the key from Saunder's pocket. He quickly unlocked his cuffs, the harness and the manacles at his ankles. Peter was free! He started to stand, legs shaky and weak when he heard the rattle of something metallic fall to the cement floor. He turned to his right to find another figure slumped back in another wooden chair.

_Neal?_

Peter stumbled across the room, key in hand as he seemed to walk miles and finally made it to his friend. Neal's eyes were only partially open, blue eyes dilated almost black, face pale and flushed. Peter placed a hand on his friend's forehead and winced. It felt like fire it was so hot. Neal had a fever.

"Neal? Wake up. Neal... we need to get out of here." He nudged the young man who seemed to be unconscious with his eyes open or... no he couldn't be dead! Peter felt at the younger man's neck and smiled when he found a strong pulse.

"Neal... answer me!" He was desperate now, uncertain what was wrong with his friend as he quickly worked at removing the restraints around his torso. Once they were undone, Peter knelt beside his friend and used the key to unlock the ankle cuffs. He turned to see a Luger beside him on the floor to his left. Peter ignored it as he concentrated on freeing his friend. Something gently touched his head and he looked up to see Neal staring down at him, left hand on the agent's hair squeezing weakly then going limp though his eyes remained staring at him. They were still very dilated and glassy looking.

"Pe... ter..."

Neal's voice was a mere whisper, his eyes moving up and away to look beyond the agent. Peter took the younger man's hand in his own and held it tightly.

"Neal, you spoke. Hey... we're ok now. Saunders is dead. Relax." Peter was starting to stand up when he saw those eyes of Neal's widen ever so slightly as they continued to stare beyond him. He didn't turn, watching as his friend tensed up ever so little, Neal's hand squeezing his weakly back in a rhythmic pattern he recognized.

It was like they had planned it. Peter ducked left, grabbed up the Luger and was suddenly turning on his knees and shooting. There was a quiet gasp from the person behind him as they swung something at him, a pain as it hit Peter's cheek. Their blow wasn't fatal but his was. It hit them square between the eyes and they keeled over. Saunders was dead.

Peter breathed hard, adrenaline pulsing through him as he knelt there, something warm and wet dripping down his cheek. He hadn't been paying attention to what Saunders was holding but now he saw it: _a scalpel_. He crawled over and felt for a pulse but the man was dead this time. He should have checked that the first time but he hadn't been thinking straight and it had only been Neal's eye movements that told him someone had come up behind him. The con had his back.

"Neal? Hey... wake up." Peter nudged his friend who had slumped sideways in the chair, eyes closed.

"Hey partner. You're safe." Peter couldn't get his friend to wake up, Neal's face somewhat ashy, his forehead still feeling hotter than normal. He didn't feel too hot himself but he had Neal to worry about at the moment so he ignored his own pains. They had to get out of here, wherever _HERE_ was. He sat on the floor beside the unconscious con and leaned his head on the younger man's knee. He felt so incredibly tired, his hand holding Neal's in his own as his eyes slowly fluttered shut.

**()()()**

Hughes, Jones and Diana showed up around 10 pm at the abandoned building they suspected Saunders to be at. They had no other leads and they hoped this one would pan out. They had SWAT on call just in case as they stealthily snuck into the lot and separated. All three had their own teams as they cased the area and checked every floor.

Diana led her team over to an open door at the end of a long, dimly lit corridor. The rest of the place had been dark but this area seemed to have electricity. They checked the first door and found traces of ropes, cuffs and blood along with several rolls of duct tape and gauze. There was also a box with several vials of unknown drugs along with several sealed, new syringes. This had to be the place. Diana radioed Jones and Hughes to come assist.

Agent Barrigan led the team further down the hallway once they'd left the first room and found the second door to the left locked. There was a second wooden door to the right, a bit of light coming from underneath but no sound. They surrounded the door on either side, Diana making a motion without speaking as she held up her fingers and counted from three to one. On _one _someone kicked in the door and they stormed in, guns ready.

"**FBI!**"

Diana and crew paused as they saw the scene before them. There was blood near the doorway by a chair bolted to the floor. The trail of blood lead towards the far side of the room where three figures lay. One of them was Saunders but he appeared to be dead. The other two were Peter Burke and Neal Caffrey.

"We need a medic in here STAT!" She called into her walkie-talkie as she turned to see Jones and his team come in. He was looking around in surprise as were the rest of the agents. He told his team to spread out and look for any one else that might be in the building as Diana did the same thing. As the other agents left, both Jones and Diana moved over towards the three non-moving figures, Jones checking out Jordan Saunders.

"He's dead. Are they..." He paused uncertain if he wanted to know but Diana had her hand on Peter's neck as she knelt beside him. Her boss was slumped against the chair that Neal still sat in. He was holding Neal's hand in his as his head leaned against Neal's knee, the consultant slumped to the side in the chair.

"I found a pulse. Peter's good." She stood up and felt for a pulse on Neal. His skin felt cool to the touch but his face was warm and sweaty. She found a weak pulse after a moment but no breath.

"Jones, move Peter. I need to do CPR on Neal. He's not breathing!" Diana was already pulling Neal to the floor, Jones quickly but gently grasping his boss in his arms and laying him on the floor. He removed his jacket and placed it under the senior agent's head as he shook his boss gently.

"Peter... wake up." Jone tried to rouse his superior, Peter giving a groan suddenly as he started to come to.

"Neal... Neal wake up..." Peter's voice was sluggish and raspy as he spoke, eyes still shut. His brow furrowed into a frown as Jones patted him on the shoulder.

"It's ok Peter. Wake up. You're safe now." Jones watched as Peter slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the agent and smiled.

"Jones? How..." He coughed, a dry hacky cough as he felt ever so thirsty. Jones pulled a bottle of water from his pack and opened it up for his boss, helping him drink it.

"Slowly... we found out about Jordan. I know Gregory was dead. I shot him dead on in the chest but it was Dr. Jenkins let us know that Jordan existed. Sorry we didn't get here sooner." He watched Peter nod but smile, his eyes turning and seeing Diana hunched over someone. He stopped drinking as he realized what was going on. Jones tried to hold him back but Peter got up and crawled towards the scene.

"Neal? Is he..." Peter looked at Diana curiously but she shrugged, continuing rescue breathing but Neal didn't respond.

"He has a pulse but it's weak. He won't start breathing. I only just started. His forehead is burning up with fever. What happened? He looks like he was shot and burned!" She looked upset, continuing with the breathing again after the short pause. Peter took his friend's hand in his.

"Come on, Neal. Breath." He was willing the young man to start moving to do something but he remained still. His hand was so pale and cold as he held it.

"Neal... if you die I'm going to bring you back. I'll find a way to do it. I'll find you wherever you are if I have to hire Death himself to help me." He was cursing now, Jones and Diana looking at him oddly as she continued rescue breathing. Suddenly there was a gurgling sound and then a cough as Neal's body spasmed and he started to breath, a wheezing sound coming from his lips.

"I guess the threat worked boss." She winked at him, gently brushing a hair from Neal's head as she moved aside and let Peter take over. He motioned for Jones to hand him was was left of the water bottle. Peter took Neal up in his arms and pressed the bottle to his lips.

"Drink this, Neal. Come on..." Peter gently eased a bit of water into the young man's mouth, Neal weakly pulling his lips aside to drink once he felt the cool liquid spill into his mouth. He started to drink hungrily but Peter shushed him and tried to get him to drink slower till Neal drank the rest of that bottle and half of another. Peter smiled, a weight lifted off his shoulders as the young man opened his eyes and stared up at him. Neal looked around to find Diana and Jones there, their faces smiling in relief to see him alive. He gave a weak smile back.

"Dea... th him...self? I... dou...bt tha... t." He grinned up at the agent, Peter smiling back down at him as Neal closed his eyes and slumped limply against the agent. It was about then Hughes showed up with his team and the paramedics. They quickly moved to Peter's side and took Neal from him, placing him on a stretcher. They did the same to Peter who slumped back against the board, his eyes feeling strangely heavy. His head had been throbbing just a bit for the past few minutes but he had been too worried about Neal to give it much thought. Now he could feel the pressure building, his breath coming hard. His heart was beating too fast. Diana seemed to notice his discomfort.

"Peter, what's wrong? Peter?" She was talking to him but he couldn't answer, his throat and chest feeling tight. He started to spasm, the paramedics laying him down long enough to check him out.

"He's having a stroke. Dammit... I need something for him to bite on!" They were digging into their kits but Diana pulled a leather strap from the chair and handed it over. The medic thanked her and pulled the strap around Peter's lips as they tried to settle the agent, his body seizing.

"He's going into cardiac arrest. We need to defrib! Clear!" The medics brought out a small box, raised his shirt and placed the plates on his now bare chest.

"**CLEAR!**"

The paramedics tried a second time but nothing happened so they tried it once more.

"**CLEAR!**"

This time Peter seemed to calm, his body jerking once then slumping back against the stretcher as his face relaxed, eyes fluttering beneath closed lids. The paramedics quickly lifted him and Neal up and started for the exit.

"We have to move quickly. Paramedics coming through!"


	8. Chapter 8

**(Chapter 8)**

Elizabeth was sleeping when she heard the rapid knock on the door. She woke up, forgetting for a second where she was till she heard the voice.

"Mrs. Burke... are you awake?" It was the voice of Agent Maxton, the female agent speaking urgently but softly. Elizabeth pulled a robe over her sweats and tee as she sat on the edge of the bed then walked over to door and opened it.

"Agent Maxton, what's the matter?" She noticed a kind of relieved look on the agent's face.

"Agents Barrigan and Jones found your husband and Neal. They were just taken to the hospital. Hughes called to let us know. We're to escort you to the hospital. I'll give you a moment to get dressed."

**()()()**

Neal woke up as they lay him on a gurney in the ambulance, his eyes fluttering open to a blurry scene of moving bodies in white uniforms in a small enclosed space. There was a buzzing of voices around him he could just make out as coming from the four men in white. He finally figured out they were paramedics, his mind still fuzzy with fever and exhaustion as he felt heat on his face but a cold chill over his body. He shivered, someone throwing a blanket over him as they examined the wound in his shoulder.

"This one's awake! Hey buddy, how are you feeling?"

The paramedic was speaking to him but Neal could just see a blurry face with dark hair and a white suit. The man touched his forehead and winced slightly.

"You're burning up! I need an ice pack, Joe. Throw one over and an IV. He's dehydrated." The man turned from Neal a moment as the con tried to speak. Neal started to open his mouth, lips parting a bit to answer the medic when he heard another voice.

"Just a sec, Marty. I'm trying to keep the agent here stable. His beat is erratic."

Neal turned to his left to see another figure lying slumped on another gurney as he tried to focus on them. His eyes widened and he tried to sit up but the medic named Marty pushed him gently back down against the cot, Neal wincing as his shoulder pulled ever so slightly.

"Don't get up yet. You're too weak. Your friend there is ok for now. Just relax. I need to work on your wound. It's infected."

Neal nodded reluctantly at the medic, his eyes looking over at the unconscious form of Peter on the other gurney. The agent was still, a strap of leather still pulled tight over his mouth, lips gripping it firmly. Peter's face looked a bit tense despite being unconscious. He reached a hand over to grasp his friend's, just making the gap and twining his fingers in Peter's.

"Pe... ter?" Neal wanted to see his friend react. He could talk now but Peter was still, his hand cool to the touch. He wanted to know what was wrong, squeezing his friend's hand but feeling nothing back.

"Pe... ter... wake... up." He felt a kind of desperation when Peter didn't respond, barely noticing that the ambulance doors shut and it was on its way. His arm swung a bit in the movement of the vehicle, his fingers threatening to loosen from Peter's. He tried to hold on when he finally felt a slight squeeze back. He thought he saw Peter's face twitch and relax a bit. He gently squeezed back.

"Pe... ter..." He watched his friend trying to wake but not moving much, his hand still squeezing some and then he realized it was more than that. Neal closed this eyes and concentrated on what was being said. It went on for a few minutes then Peter's hand went limp in his. Neal squeezed back but there was no response.

"Pe... ter?" Neal's voice was still rough but he thought about what had been said, the code translated in his head.

_**Peter:** N-E-A-L_

_T-E-L-L-E-L-I-L-O-V-E-H-E-R_

When it had stopped, Neal worried but the medic wasn't reacting and the few monitors didn't go nuts so Peter must have passed only out. He kept a tight hold on his friend's hand till the ambulance stopped and he was yanked away to one OR and Peter to another.

**()()()**

Elizabeth arrived at the hospital just after 11:30 PM, Maxton going in with her to find Diana, Jones and Hughes in the waiting area of the ER. They had only just come back from the site, their looks worried and tired from the search however short it may have been for their fellow agents and friends. El walked over as they approached and took the hugs they offered. June was absent, El wondering if they had contacted her.

"We were waiting to see how they were before we contacted Neal's landlady. If you want to call her, it's ok. We're just waiting for the doctor to return. They're both in the OR." Diana squeezed El's hand in hers gently, her voice soft with emotion. Everyone looked worried for Peter and Neal as they moved to the seats and sat down. Jones looked a bit antsy, offering to get everyone coffee as he took requests and walked away.

Elizabeth sat with Agent Maxton, the other agents standing nearby as they talked quietly about what was going on. She fidgeted in her seat, wanting to know how her husband was. A doctor passed and she waved him down, standing up to meet him.

"My husband and his partner were brought in a little while ago. They're both in the ER. I just need to know how they're doing." She tried not to sound too emotional, her tears barely contained as it was. The doctor nodded, walking her to a nearby nurses' station.

"Joan, please help Mrs... what's your name Ma'am?" He smiled at her in a comforting manner.

"Elizabeth Burke. My husband is Peter Burke and his partner is Neal Caffrey. They were brought in just a little while ago." She watched the doctor and nurse nod, Joan typing quickly into the PC before her. She shook her head.

"They're still in ER but haven't been officially admitted yet. Agents Jones and Barrigan came by and gave us their information. Looks like..." Joan typed something back in but looked like it came up blank so she picked up the phone and called someone.

"This is Manon. I have a Mrs. Burke asking about her husband in surgery. Yes, I'll wait." Joan smiled at El and the doctor who patted her on the arm gently.

"I'm sure your husband is fine, Mrs. Burke. What was he brought in for?" The doctor looked at the nurse for answers as she waited on the phone.

"Trauma. He's an FBI agent." she left out the details uncertain what she should say. The doctor nodded in understanding as the nurse spoke into the phone.

"Is this the ER? Yes, Nurse Manon here. I'm looking for two patients recently brought in. FBI. Yes. The surgeon is finishing up? Thanks." Joan was smiling, turning to the doctor and Elizabeth as she hung up the phone.

"Looks like they are finishing up on both patients. Your husband is being set up in a room now while they finish up on Mr. Caffrey. If you want to wait, they're going to call back with a room number."

Elizabeth nodded anxiously, The doctor taking her arm and patting it again. She was thankful that he stayed with her as she thought about how busy he must be.

"Thank you for your time, Dr..." She paused looking for his tag. It wasn't there but he smiled.

"Sorry. I was just coming on shift when you caught me, so I don't have my tag on yet. You can call me Robert." He shook her hand and smiled, his smile bright and friendly as were his deep brown eyes. He made her think of Peter. The nurse interrupted them with a quiet cough.

"Mrs. Burke, your husband is in room 312. You can go up as soon as you like." Joan smiled softly as she spoke, Elizabeth nodding with a relieved sigh. Robert thanked the nurse as El did and they took off down the hallway towards the elevators.

"You must be busy. I think I'm good for now. I need to let my husband's colleagues know he's ok." She looked at him with a thankful expression but he just smiled with a shake of his head.

"I'm fine. I can have a nurse let them know once we're up there. Here's the elevator." He held the door open for her as they stepped inside and the doors shut. Robert pushed the button for 3 and they stood there in quiet, El anxious. She was thinking it had been three days Peter was unconscious before he was taken by Saunders and missing for the past 24 hours. She hadn't had a chance to even talk to him since he had been shot in their home. Elizabeth shivered at the thought, coming out of her reverie as the bell rang and the elevator doors opened up.

"We're here. I believe... it's right around the corner here. Yes... right down this corridor. Here we are." It took no time for them to make it, Robert more than happy to be there for her she thought although he was a stranger. Elizabeth was happy he was there, giving him a small hug before she walked in.

"Thank you, Robert. I really appreciate everything." She smiled at him, her blue eyes watery with tears. He wiped at one, handing her a small pack of tissue from his pocket.

"Just in case and it was no problem at all. I'll let your friends know where you are." He squeezed her hand before leaving, El watching him as he vanished back into the elevator and was gone. She sniffled and wiped at her eyes as she pushed the door open to 312 and walked inside.

The room was a typical plain hospital room, not too different than the Peter had been in the last time she saw him. She let the door close quietly behind her as she stepped forward and approached the seemingly sleeping figure of her husband. There were fresh bandages around his head wound. She noticed his face looked a bit tense, her hand reaching to brush hair from his forehead. She was startled when she saw his cheek twitch and eye lids start to flutter softly.

"Peter? Hey honey, it's Elizabeth." She kept her voice low, soothing as she brushed at his hair and took the seat next to the bed. She watched him shift slightly before his face turned to look at her, his brown eyes opening slowly. They were dull, pupils smaller than normal but he smiled at her with a tired look, coughing some before settling down, his hand taking her free one.

"E... L..." His voice was hoarse but she heard him, nodding as she held his hand and continued to brush gently at her husband's hair.

"I'm here, Peter. Welcome back." She was hugging him now, holding him as much as she could with the IV tubing and monitor wires in the way. He gently nestled his face in her hair, a sniffle as she looked down to see he was crying.

"Honey? Peter... what's wrong? You're ok now. You're going to be ok." She was trying to soothe him when she heard the door quietly open and Dr. Jenkins stepped inside. He still had his surgical mask on although now it was pulled down around his neck. He looked tired despite the hour but he was smiling which made them think he had good news.

"I didn't realize he would be awake so soon. Your husband is very lucky. He had a small seizure associated with his head injury but he seems to be over it now. We had to work on his old injury to relieve the pressure but if he's awake this soon I think he'll be home in no time." Dr. Jenkins had a broad smile on his face, El and Peter mirroring it as they held one another. Peter tried to sit up, El helping him with the pillows as he looked at the doctor curiously.

"My par... tner... Ne... al..." His voice still broke up a bit as he spoke, a coughing fit hitting him a moment till he caught his breath and continued.

"How is... he?" Peter looked at the physician intently hoping to hear good news. Dr. Jenkins walked a little closer and patted him on the shoulder gently.

"He's unconscious at the moment from the anesthesia still. He was just taken off the table. Whatever Jordan did to him, it was pretty extreme. His body is still fighting the effects but in a couple of days he should be better. We have him on heavy antibiotics and pain meds. His wound was highly infected and it tore into his system but he's strong. He was fighting it and his fever went down a bit. They're putting him in a room now. I can find out the number for you."

Elizabeth and Peter nodded, the doctor smiling back.

"I wish I had more information for you but that's it for now. I think he'll fight through this. We just have to see what time brings us." He walked over to the phone by the door and called someone while Elizabeth brought Peter a cup of water. He still felt so very thirsty from his ordeal.

"How long was I gone from the hospital El? It feels like a lifetime since I saw you." He was hugging her with one hand as he drank with the other. She looked a bit uncomfortable thinking about it but she shrugged her shoulders and went ahead.

"You were unconscious for two maybe three days. I brought Neal to see you and that's when you were taken. That was yesterday. I'm just glad you're ok, Peter." She was hugging him tightly, her head against his shoulder as they sat there. There was a cough and they turned to see Dr. Jenkins blushing slightly.

"Didn't mean to interrupt but your partner was placed down the hall in 318. I'll let them know downstairs. Just take it easy, Agent Burke. You need rest. Your friends can visit briefly for the next hour but then I want you to sleep." Dr. Jenkins gave them a fatherly look of concern, both nodding solemnly. The doctor smiled, starting to leave when there was a knock at the door and two faces peeked in.

"The doctor told us you were up here." Diana's voice was soft as she walked inside followed by Jones. They looked a bit sheepish, the doctor looking at the small crowd forming in the room.

"Keep it brief. He's awake but he should be resting. You have one hour." He nodded to them all before going, leaving the small group to visit.

**()()()**

Once the hour had past, Peter hugged his wife good-night. Agent Maxton was going to escort her home, the group stopping briefly by the safe house to pick up Satchmo and Elizabeth's personal items. She didn't want to leave and he wished she could stay but the doctor insisted Peter get some rest when he came back later that evening. They said their good-byes and Peter was left alone with his thoughts, his head a little fuzzier from surgery but happy to be alive and alert. He honestly didn't want to rest but knew the doctor was probably right. He had been taken out of the hospital before his body was fully recovered from his injuries. The dent in his skull had been fixed up again, something Dr. Jenkins thought might have caused his headaches and initial stroke like symptoms when they were finally rescued. They would give him more tests in the morning when he was rested up and had time to recover from his ordeal.

Peter started to wonder again about Neal. He thought he had heard the younger man talking to him when he was unconscious, remembering that Neal had started to get his voice back just before he passed out. Maybe it was the shock and trauma of the situation that had brought back his voice and given Peter the opportunity and strength to shoot their captor. At least they knew for certain this time that Saunders was dead. He would have a talk with Jones and Diana about what happened when he had a chance. They had seemed more than glad to see him up so soon after his initial injuries and the shock from the kidnapping. Jones told him that Hughes had stayed behind at the scene to clean up and get the last bit of evidence before they left, allowing the junior agents to come and visit with him. Reese would probably visit him in the morning after his tests and it was already pretty late, his eyes looking up at a small analogue clock on the wall. It read 1:45 AM.

Peter leaned back in the hospital bed and tried to think what they could have done differently. Neal had saved him both times from a fate worse than death. He had tugged on his pant leg in their basement drawing his attention towards him and practically preventing his being hit head on by the same bullet that glanced off the side of his skull. Then during their capture by Jordan, Neal had managed to not only shoot their assailant but also gave him enough of a clue to duck and turn when Saunders tried to cut him with the scalpel. If he hadn't been cued into what Neal meant he could have been laying there bleeding to death, his partner at the mercy of that madman. He shivered at the thought as he lay in the dim darkness, a single light left on near the far window. He felt his eyes grow heavy, the weight of the last few days finally starting to wash off of him. Everyone was safe now. He didn't have to worry about Saunders coming back for him ever again.

**()()()**

Neal remembered being pulled away from Peter's side, towed into another OR room as he saw his partner disappear down the same hallway. He wanted to follow but he was too weak, his wound burning again as the medic in the ambulance had cut it open to check how it was healing. He had clucked his tongue at the wound as pinkish pus oozed out of the wound. Whatever Saunders had done, it had caused the wound to get irritated and now Neal was paying the price. He heard the medic mention staph infections and other things that sounded nasty. He'd had a few injuries in the past but this one burned more than he could remember any wound burning, his face still feeling like he was sitting under a hot lamp while his body was in a vat of icy water. His face was drenched in sweat, his bloodied shirt damp from his fevered state but shivering in spite of it all.

"He has a dangerously high temperature and his wound is infected. We need to get him on antibiotics stat and get him some blood." They must have seen the stain on his shirt and seen the wound. The bullet had gone straight through when Jordan shot him but the man had cut at the wound and made it worse, cauterizing it but without any real antiseptic means. Neal tried to stay awake but soon he felt someone lean over him and talk calmly to him as he felt his shirt removed and more hands lift him up to an operating table. He wondered what they were doing to Peter in the other room. He had seen his friend's seizure and hoped he was doing better. Neal wasn't worrying about himself.

"We need to put you under. Do you understand? Now breath in and out... slowly... calm breaths. That's it."

Neal watched them placed a mask over his face and he followed their directions as he slowly breathed in and out till the scene went even fuzzier, the edges lined in gray as the scene tunneled out and he spiraled down into darkness.

**()()()**

Reese came to visit Peter the next day after he had taken all the X-Rays, PET, CAT and MRI scans he could stand. At least they had given him an open MRI, the ones that were enclosed making him feel a bit claustrophobic although he had only had one in the past when he'd fallen off a ladder in the backyard. Elizabeth had insisted they make sure he hadn't cracked his head open.

When Reese had gone, Elizabeth showed up again to let him know that she had seen Neal but he was still unconscious. His fever had gone down some but he was still in a critical zone till the antibiotics kicked in. He had lost quite a bit of blood from the gunshot wound and the infection from Saunders cutting at the wound hadn't helped any. They were certain Neal would heal from the wound but it would just take time. Peter had nodded quietly, telling his wife what happened in as few gory detail as he could. He left out quite a bit of stuff and he knew she knew he did but it was either leave it out or scare her silly. El was already frightened about what happened as it was.

Around noon, Elizabeth left for a quick client meeting, promising to be back by 2 or 3 at the very latest. They hugged and kissed, Peter taking a deep whiff of her hair. He didn't want her to go but she had her business to attend to and it wasn't like he was going anywhere. He was still pretty weak from his ordeal and the initial head wound. Dr. Jenkins had learned a bit of what happened at the site and told him how resilient he must be to have dealt with all that under the circumstances. The physician also had the nurses keep him up to date on Neal's progress. If he felt better by the end of the day, they'd let him go visit his partner for a few minutes. Peter nodded, resting for most of the afternoon and part of Elizabeth's return visit. She had brought him some homemade soup and sandwiches from home and June, who was glad to see him doing so much better. She left them alone after a bit to visit Neal and drop off some things for her young boarder.

"Neal's going to be alright, Elizabeth? I'm the one who caused this to happen and he protected us. I'm here because of him." He seemed a little dumbfounded by the fact Neal had saved him. He thought about the last time when he was poisoned with Kent and realized the younger man really did care. Sometimes he wasn't quite sure where he stood with the con but now he thought that if they hadn't had each other's backs in the past, they did now. He was starting to rethink a few things about their partnership, his face deep in thought.

"You know he thinks the world of you, Peter. You're his friend. He would no sooner abandoned you than he would Mozzie or Alex. He's loyal. You have to know that by now." She arched a brow up at him as he nodded, smiling ever so slightly.

"I know. I guess after everything he's lied about or conveniently left out I still feel he's not being honest with us. Or at least with me. I need to know he can be trusted and I guess this is proof enough." She nodded knowingly, planting a kiss on his lips as she helped him eat some of the food she'd brought him. About half-way through one deviled ham sandwich he remembered something.

"Dr. Jenkins said I might be able to visit Neal today if I'm feeling up to it." He was chewing on his sandwich now a bit more than usual, his brow furrowed in thought. He was worried about his friend, wanting to thank him for everything. He had kept him sane when he had been forced to shoot blindfolded, trapped in darkness. It was all he could think of when they were in that horrible place.

"I'll talk to him about it. Rest a bit and I'll be back in a few. I needed to ask June about something." She hugged him just before she stood and left the room. He had finished all the food but a few bits here and there. Elizabeth had promised him more food later on that evening. He nodded to her as the door shut and he fell back to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**(Chapter 9)**

He was dreaming, face twitching, body shifting in the hospital bed ever so slightly. Everything was dark and silent but for the sharp click of a gun being cocked back. He heard the slide of the wheel in the darkness and someone laughing menacingly. It was all he could do to back away, unable to see where he was or where the sound came from as the laughter echoed in the background from every direction.

_Why are you doing this? _He thought, as he felt around blindly. He tripped over something, falling hard to the ground, the sound of the wheel spinning ever so clearly near his ear. He felt breath there, a familiar fear washing over him as his invisible assailant continued to _play_ with his fears.

_Just end it now._

Peter felt helpless. He closed his eyes tightly in the darkness wanting it all to stop when he heard another sound in the background. It took him a moment but then he knew what it was and a kind of relief came over as he listened to the soft rhythmic tapping and slowly fell out of the nightmare and into dreamless darkness.

**()()()**

It was later that same day after El had left him to rest that he woke up, thinking about his nightmare and glancing to his right to find his wife now asleep on the sofa by the window. He watched her a moment before he heard the door open to his left and turned to see Dr. Jenkins standing there. He started to speak but Peter held up a hand, pointing at his sleeping wife. The doctor nodded and moved over, speaking quietly.

"_If you wish to see your partner, I have a wheelchair ready for you. Just call the nurse._" Dr. Jenkins was smiling, his manner calm and comfortable as Peter nodded, whispering back. They shook hands.

"_Is Neal ok? My wife said she saw him earlier. I hadn't told her that he almost didn't make it. He stopped breathing before the paramedics came but one of my agents brought him back._" Peter sighed tiredly, running a hand through his hair as he turned his attention back to his sleeping wife. He was lucky to have Elizabeth but who did Neal have? Was his friendships enough to keep him going? He saw the doctor nodding his head in a comforting manner.

"He's fine. His fever has gone down considerably since yesterday. I think he'll be alright. He seemed to react better once your wife and your friend June visited. His body is fighting the infection from the gunshot wound. I'm glad I was able to help figure out who it was had you. Your agents contacted me. I was the one who recognized Jordan." The doctor looked a bit upset about that last part but Peter nodded, giving him his attention again.

"You knew Jordan Saunders? I didn't even know he existed before this. I put his cousin Gregory away. How did you know him?" Peter was looking at the doctor curiously, Jenkins sighing.

"He was an intern here for a short time but it didn't work out. He did everything you shouldn't do if you wanted to be a doctor. It was one of his fellow interns, now a resident here, that reminded me of him and knew of that warehouse you were found in. I passed the information along to Agent Jones. I'm just glad I was able to help. Saunders would have gone on to do far worse than this if he'd been given half a chance." Jenkins looks haunted by the thought of what could have happened.

"It's over now. Let's leave it at that."

Both men turned to see Elizabeth sitting up and stretching a bit, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She stood and walked over, shaking hands with the doctor and hugging her husband.

"Sorry, I've been awake for a while. I didn't mean to interrupt but there's really nothing else to be said." She seemed to know Peter was still remembering the incident even if she didn't have all the details. El brushed at his hair soothing him. Dr. Jenkins repeated what he said about the wheelchair and visiting Neal, leaving them alone after their good-byes. Peter pulled his wife closer and held her tight.

"Thank you El for always being there." He kissed her and she squeezed his cheek afterwards.

"Where else would I be, silly?" She gently tapped his nose with her index finger before continuing.

"So... should we get you ready to visit with Neal?"

**()()()**

Neal looked pale, his skin still ashy and wan. His cheeks and eyes, although closed, seemed rather sunken in, one arm in a sling. Peter wanted to stand but he remained seated as Elizabeth and the nurse rolled him up to the bedside. The nurse checked a few monitors before leaving them alone with the unconscious young man. Elizabeth walked over and planted a small kiss on the younger man's forehead, brushing his hair aside as one of her hands held her husband's then helped him move to the chair by the bed so he could visit. Peter looked uncomfortable if anything at seeing his partner so fragile. He took the younger man's right hand in his own. Neal's fingers were limp in his, partially bandaged from being dislocated, his skin cool to the touch though not as icy as they had been at the warehouse.

"Peter, talk to him. Let him know you're here." She hugged him as she whispered just loud enough to be heard.

"_We're here, Neal. Wake up soon._" She squeezed his arm gently before leaving Peter alone with his partner, the door closing quietly behind her. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to say _Thank You_ if nothing else but he wasn't very comfortable with expressing emotions. He was a guy. Neal understood that more than anyone. He sighed, thinking about everything.

"I know I don't tell you enough, Neal..." His voice cracked a bit, his eyes averted to the floor as he tried to think of what to say.

"You're much more than just my charge. You've... well... El likes you and Jones thinks you're a cool guy." His voice trailed off a bit as he continued to fight with his emotions he rarely revealed.

"Neal, Thank you... for having my back. Just know I'm here for you. You're not alone." Peter wiped at his eyes, a wet warmth there as he turned to look at his unconscious friend. He blinked as two pale blue eyes glanced back at him through partially open lids. Peter was stunned into speechlessness, his surprise showing. A ghost of a smile formed on Neal's face.

"Ca...t got... yo... ur... ton...gue?" Neal rasped with a faint grin, eyes still opened just a slit. He sounded tired but there was a slight hint of that mischievous glint Neal always had. Peter rolled his eyes, smirking a bit.

"If you're the cat, you probably fenced it through Alex by now. How are you feeling?" Peter watched his friend shifted slightly, Neal closing his eyes and giving a tiny wince of pain but not really complaining.

"Like... some... one... use...d me... as a... tram... po... line." He smirked, eyes open again and slightly wider. Neal's eyes looked watery, more with tears from pain than emotion he thought. Peter stood and hobbled around the bed to push the nurse call. Neal was breathing hard, his face flushed with the effort from speaking.

"Maybe we can get them to give you something that works. You hurting?" Peter felt worry as he lay a hand on his friend's forehead. It still felt fairly warm to slightly hot. Neal shrugged weakly away.

"I'm... o... k... Pe... ter." Neal rasped, his face redder. Peter noticed the younger man seemed to be having trouble breathing. He took his right hand in his and held it, Neal squeezing it tight.

"Pe... ter?" Neal was wheezing some now, his hand squeezing tighter as he seemed to fight to breathe. Peter shushed him gently but he went on, his wheezing becoming a whistle.

"Relax, Neal. Look, the nurse is here." Peter turned as she took in what was happening, grabbing a bottle of oxygen from a nearby cabinet and a mask, connecting both and bringing it up. Peter moved out of her way, standing on the opposite side of the bed.

"Breath in calm and slow, Mr. Caffrey. That's it." The nurse held the mask over his face, the strap hanging under his chin. A hissing sound something like Darth Vader's breathing could be heard as Neal breathed in and out till it started to hush some, his breathing beginning to relax. Dr. Jenkins showed up not too soon after, looking at the scene as everyone turned their eyes to see who had entered.

"Having some problems breathing, Mr. Caffrey? Nurse." He gave her a slight nod and she pulled the canister aside so the doctor could get closer, his hands drawing the stethoscope around his neck. The nurse gently opened Neal's shirt so the doctor could push the stethoscope against his chest.

"Breath in for me and hold it... now let it out. Again..." The doctor asked this several times as Peter watched, moving the stethoscope around Neal's chest. The nurse helped him sit up and the doctor listened to Neal's back, the same procedure till they settled him back and removed the mask.

"Sounds like the infection may have gotten to your chest. I'll get you some more powerful antibiotics for that. We don't want you to get pneumonia. Rest. Ok?" Dr. Jenkins smiled, patting him on the shoulder before he turned to the nurse and whispered something to her, her head nodding in reply as she reached under at a cabinet and pulled out a familiar looking object. Peter watched as they set up the humidifier. Once the item was set up, Dr. Jenkins and nurse left, El entering right behind them. She saw the oxygen canister and mask and the humidifier immediately, an eyebrow arching up in query as she noticed Peter standing.

"Honey you're supposed to be resting. Let me take you back to the room." She didn't seem to notice that Neal was awake, his eyes having closed for a moment while he caught his breath. Peter hobbled around the bed, hugging his wife.

"Neal was having problems breathing so I called the nurse. They put him on oxygen and then Dr. Jenkins said he'd be back with more antibiotics and they put this out for him before you left." He watched her nod at him, El kissing him.

"It's ok, honey. You were worried about him." She had her eyes on him the whole time, brushing his hair as she tried to move him back to the wheelchair.

"Hey... El..."

El paused, her eyes widening as she looked at Peter realizing he hadn't spoken. He watched her turn and look at Neal who was staring up at her with a soft smile. She looked a little surprised, her expression dumbfounded as she moved a bit closer, looking between Peter and Neal.

"Neal? You're... awake!" She moved to his side, Peter still hugging her as she took the consultant's hand in hers.

"Ye...ah. Pe... ter can... wake... the dead." He winked at her, El smiling but sniffling at the same time. Peter sat in the chair, drawing his wife to his lap.

"El what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He looked confused as he saw Neal shrug at his glance. She wiped at her face and hit Peter on the shoulder ever so gently.

"Why do you think? Geesh... How long have you been awake, Neal?" She got up and hugged him gently, Neal making a wincing sound as his shoulder pulled a bit. She apologized, kissing his forehead.

"I'm sorry, Neal. I'm just glad to see you're doing better. Did you need anything? June brought you some things. There's a bag in the closet." She started to fluff his pillows but he just grasped her hands in his and shook his head.

"I'm... fi..ine... El." He was smiling up at her, El nodding as Peter squeezed her and patted Neal on the arm.

**()()()**

It was another two days before Peter was released with a request he stay home for at least a couple of weeks to rest in addition to Hughes' mandatory month leave. Neal was kept for observation as he got over the chest infection that turned into a nasty cold. His fever finally left by the time they released him but he still had a bit of a hacky cough when Peter and El came to pick him up almost a week after Peter's release. Neal still looked a bit gaunt and pale but his color had returned enough that he seemed better than he had been. Peter patted his friend on the back as they wheeled him out to the car, Neal complaining ever so slightly about being pushed out instead of walking. Peter told him to "_cowboy up_" bringing a childish sulkiness out in the younger man before they helped him out of the chair and into the backseat of the Taurus where he leaned against the window, eyes closed. Neal's still had his left arm in a light sling. El looked back at the younger man with a concerned glance but Peter just shook his head to let her know he needed to rest.

The ride back to the Burkes' was quiet, the sound of traffic noise prevalent in the background but otherwise there was very little conversation and mostly between Peter and Elizabeth. Neal stared out the window or seemingly slept, cheek pressed against the back window as he slumped there tiredly. When Peter parked the car in front of their home, it was surprising that the first person up and out was Neal. He stood there on the curb, swaying slightly but upright. Elizabeth exited next, pulling out her key as she glanced back at Peter who nodded as his wife and partner walked up to the few stairs to their door. The agent opened the back door and pulled out Neal's bag and some other stuff they had picked up before stopping by the hospital.

Peter walked inside his home to find no sign of his wife or Neal till he finished dropping the items on the floor by the door, hearing voices upstairs. He climbed up slowly, hearing his wife talking softly to someone. He saw the door to the guestroom open and peeked inside. Peter saw El sitting on the edge of the bed, Neal curled up as his wife gently brushed at the younger man's hair. His partner looked to be asleep, El standing to leave after a light peck on Neal's forehead. She smiled when she saw Peter, holding up a finger to her lips as she took the overnight bag from him, placed it quietly inside the door and they left.

"He's still very weak. He didn't want to sleep but soon as he came back from the bathroom, I found him stretched out." El kept her voice low as the door was closed and they moved downstairs again. Peter nodded, holding her close as they sat on the sofa.

"Neal is definitely not acting himself. I'm surprised I am." He leaned against his wife tiredly, one of her arms around him while the other one brushed his hair.

"It'll be ok, Peter. Maybe you should get some sleep too. I'll bring you a blanket." She was already moving aside as he slipped down to lie on the sofa as El stood. She kissed him on the lips before walking away, Peter almost immediately falling asleep. He was dreaming as soon as his eyes shut.

**()()()**

Neal wanted to be more alert but he felt exhausted. Even with the fever gone and his body mostly healed, he felt a kind of weakness one only gets from a major illness. Dr. Jenkins had sent him home with more meds, handing them to Elizabeth as he spoke to all three of them. Neal nodded without really listening, his mind distracted from his tiredness and thinking about what had happened. He felt badly for his silence since leaving the hospital but even having his voice back, it took a lot out of him to speak so he just sulked out of habit. El seemed to understand but Peter looked a bit unhappy about it.

When they reached the Burkes' residence, Neal exited the car first walking up with El and feeling badly that Peter lagged behind getting all the stuffs. Inside, Elizabeth took his jacket and hung it up by the door and followed him upstairs when he said he needed to wash up. She went to the guestroom and started to fix it up as he closed the door and stared into the mirror. He didn't recognize himself in the mirror, thinking of how lucky he was to have Peter and Elizabeth to worry about him. He took advantage of them more than he should, his guilt getting to him as he turned on the faucet and washed his face, smoothing back his hair. He tried to put on his best smile but it looked too hallow and wan even for him so he just opened the door and left, walking to the stairs before El called him into the guestroom.

"You can stay here tonight, Neal. Let me get you some clean towels and extra sheets." El left the room with a pat to his back. Neal sat on the edge of the bed, curling up on the comforter after a minute and just staring across the room till his eyes started to close and he relaxed. He thought he heard El talking to him, felt a hand gently brush his hair and a blanket draped over him before he passed out. He lay there for some time till he felt himself wake up, sitting up and looking around. It took him a moment to remember where he was, sitting up and finally standing. He shifted his arm in the sling, his body still feeling a bit stiff as he stretched and then walked over to the door and opened it up.

Neal made his way downstairs, seeing a figure asleep on the sofa with a throw over them. It was Peter. Neal smiled slightly, seeing his friend looking so calm and relaxed. He sat on a nearby chair, staring at his friend till he noticed a small twitching of Peter's cheek indicating he was dreaming. It didn't look like a good dream, Neal reaching over to nudge Peter when the agent's eyes fluttered beneath his lids, lips moving slightly as he spoke in his sleep. Neal stopped.

"End it now. Please... Just end it."

Peter's voice sounded so fragile and helpless, something Neal wasn't sure he could deal with as he listened. Finally he reached over and nudged his friend awake. Peter looked a bit confused till he saw Neal there, nodding up at his friend as he wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"Neal... hey. Feeling better?" Peter sat up, looking around the room as if he were still a bit disoriented then relaxed again. Neal nodded.

"Better. How about you?" Neal noticed Peter giving him a look as if knowing what it was he was really asking.

"Better. So... Where is El?" Peter stood up and walked over to the kitchen then back, Neal following his friend upstairs. They were quiet, making their way to the guestroom first, then the bathroom and finally Peter's bedroom. He peeked inside and found El stretched out on the bed asleep. He smiled, closing the door and holding up a hand as they made their way back downstairs. Neal followed Peter into the kitchen again the agent opening the fridge and pulling out two bottles, passing one to the con.

**()()()**

It was a while later when El woke up and heard voices downstairs. She rolled over and eased herself off the bed, straightening her clothes and hair before heading out of the bedroom. She checked the guestroom but Neal was absent. El walked downstairs, the voices getting louder.

"Oh come on Peter... you shot a radio out of some one's hand. You're a regular gunslinger. Billy the Kid wouldn't have had a chance!"

El heard Neal speaking, but there was a certain oddness to his voice she couldn't quite figure out till she heard the next voice.

"You're damn right! I caught you twice... or was it thrice? I could have caught every one of those gun fighters. Sheriff Burke, fastest gun in the Easth..."

Peter's voice was slurring slightly, something she had noticed about Neal but it was less apparent. She turned the corner as she stepped off the stairs and saw them sitting at the dining table, chips and dip in front of them. Peter looked up and smiled crookedly.

"Hey honey... we were... what were we doing, Neal?" He turned and turned and looked at the younger man. Neal shrugged.

"Well we were discussing something. Want to join us?" Peter took another pull of his beer, El nodding.

"Sure, but let me put the coffee on. Did you want sandwiches? I have chicken salad and deviled ham." She cleaned up the few empty bottles on the table, taking them into the kitchen to the trash. Neal stood and followed her, bringing his own bottle and pouring what was left in the sink. He seemed rather sober suddenly.

"And you let my husband get drunk... why?" She didn't sound angry, just curiously as she saw a little twinkle in his eyes. Neal shrugged, looking a bit more innocent than usual.

"I'm not exactly sober myself but he needed it. Trust me." Neal kept his voice low, filling up the bottle with water and moving back out to where Peter was. El just rolled her eyes and started the coffee pot. She walked out and heard her husband and Neal, who sounded more drunk than he was, discussing some nonsense about gunslingers. She heard the coffee maker beep and went back, grabbing three cups and putting them on a small tray with the sandwiches.

"Ok, Hop-along... here's your coffee." She put a cup in front of Peter whose eyes widened at the smell and scent, forgetting his beer as El took the bottle from him and put another cup in front of Neal giving him a wink only he could see. She placed the third cup on the table before her as she sat down and joined them. Peter took a long sip of the coffee and smiled, pointing at Neal as he looked at his wife.

"If I'm Hop-along, who's he?" Peter spoke with less slurring but it would take a few cups to get him back to normal. El sipped at her coffee looking between both men with a thoughtful look.

"Neal... don't you know your own partner, Peter?" She grinned, handing him a deviled ham sandwich and a chicken salad to Neal.

Peter blinked at her a moment, opening his mouth to speak then stopped, nodding.

"Right... You're always right, El."

**(The End)**

**oOoOoOo**

**Author's Note****:** _Thanks again for reading. I'm still riding along with __NaNoWriMo__ and over 31K. May have another story up soon depending how things go._


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